Thursday, December 20, 2007

The Grinch, Part Deux

Well, the big day is almost upon us and so begins the rush rush rush to get everything done. Last minute gifts bought and wrapped, goodies baked, cards sent (which I didn't do this year...ooppss) and the ever present desire to make sure that the kids have the biggest and best that the season has to offer. But a funny thought occured to me as I was driving home from work the other day with all of the to-do's running through my head...I simply could not remember but maybe 4 or 5 of the gifts I'd gotten as a child.(Sorry Momma and Daddy!) When I think back on the Christmases of my youth (which was NOT all that long ago, thank you very much! ;) ) what I remember most is the traditions that my family had. On the night of Dec. 23rd, we would all get together at my Mamaw's house. The grownups would stay up late playing cards (Rook to be exact, a game that I learned to play as I got older and haven't played in a LONG time) and my cousins and I would make general nuisances of ourselves. And of course, there would be LOTS of snacking going on.....MMMM, sausage balls!! Then that night, (Christmas Eve Eve so to speak) Santa would come and visit us at my Mamaw's house. Christmas Eve was always "really" Christmas to me...Christmas Eve was Christmas at Mamaw's and if Christmas is all about where your heart is, well, Mamaw was (and still is) where my heart is. Not that I don't love going to my Granny's house, which is where we went on Christmas Day, but even now, when I think Christmas, I think Mamaw's. Of course, then there was Christmas morning at my house, which was probably the most wonderful part of Christmas b/c it was the part that I didn't have to share with anyone else...(This is where the Grinch comes out of me...) It was all about ME! (Ahh, what else would you expect from an only child, hehehe) But really, if the truth be known, the best thing about Christmas wasn't the gifts, or the decorations, or the food....it was the anticipation of Christmas. The time from Thanksgiving to Christmas, the time spent with family getting everything ready for the big day...That's the best part of Christmas. So this year, when Santa leaves the Hurricanes' toys and I'm looking and worrying that they don't seem to have much (YEAH RIGHT!!) I hope that I will remember the famous line from the Grinch movie...."Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe, just maybe, Christmas means a little bit more"

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I swear we think on the same wavelengths. I was driving home from work thinking of the to-do list and how little $$ I spent on Christmas this year (trying to pay of credit cards for that baby you know). And I was listening to the Alabama Christmas CD and "Happy Birthday Jesus" came on. And I mentally kicked myself for worrying with all the hoopla, when Christmas really does not come from a store....it means so much more. I thought about how it doesn't really matter what time we make it to who's house....it matters that we are blessed enough to have so much family to go see and celebrate Christmas with. And of course, I thought of how Christmas must be for Matt this year in Iraq and it made me realize even more how little all the hoopla mess really matters.
Anyway, all that to just say I'm right there with ya...Christmas is about the memories and the family and remembering why we even celebrate Christmas.
Now, of course, I have to quit babbling and go run & try to finish wrapping presents :)

Anonymous said...

Well momma lee,
i can say your christmas is almost mine! i actually start christmas on christmas EVE! the it all ends on dec.26!! oh hey have you used any of your cookie stuff????? anyways how was your party at 11:30 yesterday!! well mine was kind of sad!! i don't get to see any of my friends til jan.3!! thats only b/c hunter is having a new year's party! i bet you are thinking why on jan.3??? well b/c colton and skyler wouldn't be able to make it if we had it dec.31 or jan.1! they weren't getting back in town til new years day but enough of that!! did u know that there is only 3 more days til christmas day????? well there is!!! oh please tell Zach a late happy birthday for me!! sorry i didn't make a card this time i was just so so so so so busy! and getting sick thursday didn't help anything! it just made it worse! oh well i better go be fore this message is as long as your post!

i love you

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