Holiday! Celebrate!

It took me a little longer than usual to get into the holiday spirit this Christmas. It doesn't help that I'm in California and the sun is constantly shining, the wind breezing through the plethora of palms. I still don't even have a tree to decorate. The worst part is that I miss my family and it makes me realize that the part I like about Christmas the most is being with them. I like the way we do Christmas, the way we each take turns opening presents and the way we always argue over if we should open one or two presents on Christmas Eve. Jill always says she's saving her presents until the next morning but then gets gift envy when the rest of us are enjoying our new belongings. My dad picks the smallest of his presents to open the night before, and he usually tries to guess (with like a 90% success rate) what's inside. My mum picks the biggest of her presents, then my dad says, "Gaye, why don't you open this one." and it will be a beautiful necklace or a little pin that's he's so thoughtfully picked out to match her personality. Leah's gifts are always wrapped with perfection with little funky tags and giant elaborate ribbons. She wins the secret gift wrapping competition every year.... a secret because no one actually wants to admit that there's a competition. Maybe it's just me. All the while, jazzy Christmas greats are lulling us into that euphoric spirit that seems to bring us all together just when we need each other most.

Breakfast the next morning has become the new "first thing to do" over presents because we're not 5 years old anymore and dying to know what Santa brought us in his sleigh. Plus we're usually still intoxicated from the free flowing champagne and red wine the night before. Nothing a few crepes and sausages couldn't cure. The first person up knows their duty is to make the coffee and turn on the Christmas lights. I like making the coffee because then I have an excuse to clink the mugs together to wake up my parents.

Oh, I almost completely forgot! The STOCKINGS! Almost a special occasion all on its own, everyone gets a "socking" full of little goodies like mini nail polishes, gift cards, trinkets, and tiny stuffages that would otherwise get lost in the tree's foliage, for sure. Then there are all the years that the entire foot of the socking was filled with mandarin oranges. Jill and I, being the little spoiled brats that we were, would complain that it wasn't a true socking and that we had been cheated out of a few more inches worth of gifts. HA. Now it's a running joke. In fact, I really think I would be disappointed if I didn't find an orange in the toe of my socking.

More music, bubbly mimosas, sweet crepes with real whipped cream and raspberries, my great family. What I am looking forward to is learning the Christmas traditions of my brother-in-laws.

I've spent only a couple Christmases with Scotty, but one that stands out was him in his PJs on his couch in Anchorage, opening up this giant present with the most ridiculous joker hat inside. It was massive with these little jingle bells all over it. He threw it on his head immediately and looked around waiting to see the expressions on our faces. Of course, we rolled with laughter. That year was fun because we were all in Alaska in Leah's cozy Cedar house with snow falling gently against the frosted windows. It was a true White Christmas.

I guess all of this is what makes it so hard to really get into the festivities. This year, I will be spending Christmas much differently. Maybe I'm stuck in my ways, but it just won't be the same. I'm grateful, nonetheless, to be spending Christmas with someone's family. I'll be sure to find out what holiday traditions the Pessins have. And maybe I can offer a little of the Bryant tradition and get them all sockings.

Hey, who started calling them sockings anyway?