Thursday, October 20, 2011

Holiday Memories



One of my favorite holiday movies isn’t one of the classics. The one I love to watch each and every Christmas is “Home For the Holidays” with Robert Downey, Jr. and Holly Hunter. If you haven’t seen the movie (it’s been out for a long time), basically it is about a family, a bit dysfunctional, that all gather together at Christmas time. I think I enjoy this movie each and every year because in my eyes that’s what most families are, just a tad dysfunctional, you know? Some of us admit us, and some of us don’t. I remember one Christmas when I was in high school, that my Dad had accepted an invitation to have Christmas dinner over at a co-workers house. They were a younger couple that had moved out here from back East and didn’t have any family out here. Their names were Donna and Joe, and all day Donna spent cooking. There was turkey, ham, all the traditional side dishes, several desserts and more. While Donna was finishing cooking the Christmas dinner, my Dad had gone upstairs with Joe to play pool. My Dad wasn’t much of a drinker. He would have a beer here and there, but that was about it. Apparently, while upstairs playing he pool, he also was drinking whiskey. The next thing we knew, he sort of stumbled down the stairs. I’m not sure exactly how this happened, but he managed to trip and fall into the beautifully decorated Christmas tree that was placed in front of the bay window. Half of the tree crashed through the window into the front yard, while the remainder of the tree was inside of the house. And my Dad? He landed on his butt on the floor with Christmas lights wrapped around his head and part of his body asking, “did I do that”? I have to admit, I laughed as did Joe and Donna. After all it was pretty funny. But my poor Mom was so embarrassed I don’t think she ever recovered from my Dad being part of Joe and Donna’s Christmas décor with holiday lights wrapped around him!

My point of the little story above is this. The holidays really should be about “who” we spend the holidays with. It shouldn’t be about what food is on the table or how it is displayed, but “who” is sitting at our tables with us! As we all know the passage of time seems to go by faster and faster each year. Rather than spend all the time looking for the perfect holiday gifts, although Country Roads does have wonderful things as far as gift giving goes, or cooking the perfect Christmas dinner, we should just enjoy each other, you know? I wish you all a magical holiday season. And I hope you will find it in your hearts to reach out and help those that won’t have a table to sit around this Christmas. Our world isn’t like it use to be but that doesn’t mean that we have to change. When you are in a position to “give” to those less fortunate than yourself, you couldn’t ask for a better Christmas present ever! Happy Holidays!!