Christmas Traditions

Yesterday, I received an email "survey" from Shannon where all of the questions were regarding the holidays.  I am one of those nerds who loves to fill them out and forward them on regardless of who likes them and who hates them, which is probably why the answer to everyone's "Who is most likely to respond?" is always "Leah". 

 

Nonetheless, I enjoyed this particular survey because it kicked my Christmas spirit in gear.  I listed my favorite tradition as us waking Mom and Dad up at the butt crack of dawn, and holding hands, eyes closed, to go out to our stockings.  However, when I read Mom's answers, I was reminded of the tradition that trumps my answer.  The tradition of Dad reading "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" on Christmas Eve.

 

I don't know how or when this tradition started, but every year after we left the Labadie gathering, we would all pile on Dad's lap in the Big Red Chair while he read the story of Santa's visit.  I never knew it during my childhood, but most every year during the reading, my father was tore up from the floor up.  We never noticed the slurred words or the mistakes in the story, it was enough for us kids to just be there in the moment enjoying family time.  There were years when Moe would stay with us and she'd be squeezed up there, too.  Even as the "little" kids got bigger, we'd all sit there, and Mom would pray that the arms of the chair would not break off.

 

During Christmas break in my first year of college was the first year we heard the story after Dad became sober.  He fought his demons earlier that year and quit drinking, and that was present enough for all of us.  I will never forget being 18 years old, in college, and anxiously waiting for him to read that story to us.  The story never changed from year to year, but that year was special.  He did his best "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!", and it was as sweet as music. 

 

A few years later, I was a married woman and the tradition continued on without me, until Dad passed away.  Being across the country, Patrick and I had to start our own Christmas Eve traditions which have included a romantic dinner at home prepared by Patrick (Chicken Marsala has been on the menu a few times)a bottle of champagne, and if he has anything to say about it, opening presents. 

 

Christmas at home will be hard this year because it will be my first at home, without my Daddy there.  It's been easy to *not* deal with the holidays and him being gone since we've not been around, but this year will be a hard one.  I will be surrounded by extended family and close friends, but nothing will fill the void of not having Christmas Eve readings on Daddy's lap.