As the season of giving approaches, the hum of holiday music becomes a temporary backdrop of our daily lives, thanks to my 80s obsessed daughter who, like clockwork, dusts off the Elf soundtrack, Christmas With the Rat Pack, Barbara Streisand/A Christmas Album, Nat King Cole/The Christmas Song and Elvis Presley/ If Every Day Was Like Christmas, and places it conveniently next to our table top stereo where it will sit for the good of the next few months and be played over and over and over again as she dances sprightly, spinning recklessly across our slippery hardwood floors.
For many, this may cause grief, enough so to make one puke. I sit here having just watched a full Ben 10 movie and not a minute had passed when my daughter slipped our good ‘ole ‘Christmas in Santa Fe’ cd in the player and started dancing away. With We Three Kings rearing at high volume in classical Spanish guitar, I look out the window to see my son’s pathetic green pumpkin imploding on the front stoop and I think this just isn’t right. We’re barely in the month of November.
Then I think about the leaves that have fallen already and the trees that are almost bare and get a little melancholy regretting having not paid much attention to the changing foliage during this season that I love so much. I tried to take a picture of a tree that stands fifteen feet out our front door in all its blazing red color and just as I snapped the shot the low battery light flashed across the screen before it turned completely black.
I am missing the best part of the season and realize it is speedily passing by me. But it doesn’t take long for my daughter’s joyous spirit and odd two-stepping to contaminate the entire household, especially when Elvis finds his way into the cd player. My son joins his sister on the family room dance floor. My husband is making a hearty lentil soup and curry meatloaf in the kitchen. The smells couldn’t make this moment any better. It is picture perfect.
But momentary it is. My other daughter pulls out her nintendo ds, the other two begin to argue about who spilled the popcorn on the floor, my husband finishes his bowl of soup and annoyed by the banter of the children heads on upstairs and I sit glued to this computer finishing this story, half-heartedly disciplining the two squabblers after the word idiot makes its way out my daughter’s mouth.
The holiday spirit takes form in beautiful ways at our house. But as quickly as it sneaks up on us, it can just as soon disappear. Sibling rivalry, petulant parents, or simple disregard can do the trick. So I should thank my kids for reminding me of the changing seasons by the effortless way in which they bring it into our house. But let’s face it, we’re a real family with typical six member family chaotic moments that we need to deal with every day. Not to say, that I couldn’t be a little more mindful and attentive in handling some of these moments especially with this computer at bay.
This is the time when I need to log off wordpress and shut down the laptop, gather the family back together in somewhat better terms and begin our double feature “movie night”: for the kids, Jack Frost; for the big kids, Transsiberian.
Good night.
November 8, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Can’t be with you but after reading your diary of the day I can almost imagine being there with all of you…If this FairyGodMother’s fairy wings weren’t tired I’d flap them to spend the day…watching all the fun antics in anticipation of the coming Thanksgiving and Christmas Season…Can never get myself to say Happy Holidays…I’ll leave that up to everyone else…Christmas is Christmas to me…A Little Poem and song I wrote years ago…Don’t take Christ out of Christmas..Christmas wouldnot be the same…Don’t take Christ out of Christmas ..Christmas was born in His Name…Just four lines of it …so you know where I’m going with this…Our Season always started with Nat King Cole too..I am sure AAAAA remembers well..Thanks for sharing with your picturesque words..Don’t need pictures with your visual..
November 9, 2008 at 12:41 am
AAAAA makes killer lentil soup and curry meatloaf by the way.
November 10, 2008 at 10:46 am
Hey. I love your blog. I could relate to each sceniaro you described. How I try to relish in each season. Fall being my favorite with the leaves changing colors, the air getting a little brisk but much more comfortable. My ideal way of dressing on the weekends when cleaning my house or outside with the kids; sweatshirt and jeans! I agree that these seasons are meant to be taken in by all because not only has another year gone by, but now our children are another year older. Trick or treating will soon be a memory in thier minds and ours. Soon we will be handing out candy only to the neighbor’s children because ours have grown into young adults and move on to start their own lives. AHHH. How sad. I take in every moment I can. I look at each season and holiday with a greater appreciation for the memories we are making and the time we have together!
On that note, I have to say that I feel a sadness for the holiday that is soon becoming extinct in the world. Here we are just a little over a week ago, Halloween was under our feet and local radio stations began playing ONLY Christmas music. It is so annoying to me. Why is Thanksgiving less important to everyone? It is still a time for family and friends, celebrating, eating and creating those memories together.
I’m not discounting anyone that starts playing their Christmas music, however, I can’t get in the mood for Jingle Bells or Santa until the day after Turkey Day. Let’s all remember what the meaning of Thanksgiving is and how it has been an introduction to Christmas for generations. With that said, I will only wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving this month and save the Merry Christmas for later.
Love to all,
Baby Girl
November 10, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Well put and yes we must thank Hazel for this blog because she makes us think about things and gives us a venue to comment and explore..Yes Baby Girl this is true and with the way our entire family is I know that the celebrations will go on and on…with no exceptions…
November 10, 2008 at 1:23 pm
You said that very well and we must thank Hazel for this blog because she makes us think about things and gives us a venue to comment and explore..Yes Baby Girl this is true and with the way our entire family is I know that the celebrations will go on and on…with no exceptions…
November 10, 2008 at 2:21 pm
I always thank Hazel for her enlightening blogs. She brings up great topics and gives us a venue to open up about our feelings. Thanks Hazel once again. You are great.
Baby Girl