My Christmas Experience 2010 / A Family Christmas

House transformed for Christmas Day

My oldest daughter and her children all together under one roof

Christmas for me is many things. Christmas makes me want to give and I find myself stressing over not being able to give enough, or do enough for the ones I love as well as people I know nothing about except that they need.  I try to remember the real reason for Christmas and for the most part I succeed in making someone elses life just a little bit brighter and a little less stressful if only for the day or even for the moment.

My youngest daughter and her son

I heard of a father who could not afford to buy his son a Christmas tree and I know he was trying so hard to do it because his son thought he just had to have it.  The tree was only $15, but his monthly bills were coming due, the rent, hydro, warm clothing, food and transportation to work, just kept eating up all of his money. One day while riding from job to job a feeling hit me and I just went out and bought a tree and took it over to the gentleman’s house. The look of total shock on his face and the tears in his eyes told me how much his son was going to enjoy the tree and how relieved and happy he was to have it and I knew that $25 tree was going to be the some of the best money that I had spent in a very long time.

Loving their play station 3

Christmas is also a time that I let my guard down and allow myself to be drawn into the stores that in a few minutes seem to be able to take away from me all of the money that I have worked so hard for the whole year-long with the simple promise that what they are selling will put a smile on my children, or grandchildren‘s faces. It is a time when my grandchildren’s dreams and wishes, I will  try to make into reality if possible, (as were my children’s and mine when that age).  Good food and happiness will be shared and a family togetherness will be enjoyed.  Well it is in this spirit that I shopped and shopped and shopped some more.

Enjoying her net book

I bought electronics and clothing and food and all the things that I knew would make this Christmas extra special. I decorated outside of my house and put up my Christmas tree and wrapped my gifts and waited for my little treasures to arrive. You see my three oldest grandchildren sleep over with me on Christmas Eve it is the only time that all three children are together since their mother and father got divorced and the courts in their stupidity decided to give sole custody of the two oldest children one to each parent and joint custody to the parents of the youngest child.

My youngest grandson with his Dad

My oldest granddaughter requested during the custody hearing on behalf of her and her brothers that her as well as her brothers be allowed to spend Christmas Eve with me and the judge so ordered it be so by court order as long as I was willing to have them.  I know how special this time is for them and try to make it as fun and as stress free for them as possible.  My youngest grandson and his mom and dad came over for Christmas dinner and we shared gift giving, stories, food and drink. It is a time of love sharing and warmth; a time to just enjoy each other and forget the hardships of the past year and the ones to come in the new year.  Gifts opened, food and drink shared and the bonds of love and family love and support reaffirmed another Christmas Day came to and end.

New pajamas and housecoats and slippers for all of the kids

They are all gone now and the house is quiet and peaceful and I must confess, just a bit lonely. I am glad the stress of Christmas is over for yet another year, but I will gladly endure it next year when it comes again and gives me the chance once again to make some ones life just a little better and a little less stressful, if just for one day or even just for the moment.

No more gifts under tree signals another Christmas Day has come and gone

 I hope that you all had a very merry Christmas and I wish for you nothing but the best for you and your families in the year to come. God bless you all.