Reader here, and the big day is almost here!
Just one more sleep until Christmas, and I’m looking forward to a few days off over the holidays. Four days, to be exact, as I get December 25-28 off. Ideally, it would’ve been nice to have a few more days of R & R, but four days is better than NO days, right?
I’ll be hitting the road this afternoon and making the trip to the farm, where I’ll be kicking back, relaxing with the family, and breaking out the stretchy pants, to enjoy a few days of home cookin’!
There just be a few of us at home on Christmas Day, but we’re having our big family Christmas on the 27th, as that’s when all of my brothers and their families are able to make it to the farm.
Of course, it’s nice to celebrate on the 25th, but as time goes on, what’s most important is that we have a chance to be all together at some point over the holidays, regardless of what the date on the calendar is.
The Christmas season always makes me feel nostalgic, thinking back to some of my favourite holiday memories over the years.
In my blog yesterday, I mentioned some of our Christmas tree mishaps. But those aren’t my only favourite Christmas memories.
One year, our entire household was sick with the flu. I think there was only one of us who wasn’t down for the count. But, sick as we were, me and the guys were still able to enjoy our brand-new NHL-licenced table hockey game featuring Montreal vs. Vancouver, with the scoreboard that you dropped the puck through for faceoffs. And we still had Christmas dinner (even if most of it was enjoyed as leftovers, when we were all feeling better).
Another year, my brothers and I got an original Nintendo Entertainment System. You know the one – it came with the dual Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt cartridge and the light gun. Grandpa and Grandma Read came out for the day, and we has Grandpa on the couch, trying his hand at Duck Hunt. He didn’t do so hot, and that damn dog ended up popping up and laughing a lot at all of us, when we missed those ducks!
Meanwhile, one year, we were opening gifts, and there was a mysterious large gift for Dad covered with a blanket, and my brother Ward’s bedroom must’ve been a little on the cool side overnight, because he exclaimed “That toolbox was warmer than I was last night!” Of course, Dad hadn’t opened it yet, and Ward had inadvertently spilled the beans, and we all had a good laugh.
I got a few memorable food gifts over the years. One year, I got a bottle of Brown Cow chocolate syrup (remember that) in my stocking, and another year, I got a big box of soda crackers of my very own (I still crush a package from time to time)!
And in my family, we have a habit of reusing boxes to wrap gifts, so you always have to open the box to see what’s inside. One year, I got a box of Old Dutch Barbecue chips (the best BBQ chips – the original flavour, not the ones they put in the bags). But knowing it could be something else in the box, I cracked it open, expecting something else. Of course, I didn’t realize I was breaking the factory seal, and it was, in fact, chips!
And now, with five nieces and a nephew, it’s even more fun seeing them open their gifts, and experiencing the excitement through their eyes. They’re all getting older now (the youngest of the six is nine years old now), but it’s just a blast when we can all be together.
I hope that you get to spend Christmas with those you love, whether it be family, friends or both, making memories that last forever. And for those of you, who for whatever reason, may be going through a tough time this year, I’m thinking about you too, and hope for the best for you.
Normally, I would post my favourite rendition of the classic “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” as recorded by the legendary Louis Armstrong. But this year, there’s a new recording of that classic tale, with one of the most recognizable voices in Heavy Metal, Metallica lead singer James Hetfield! You gotta love it! Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!
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