Monday, December 29, 2003
And so that was Christmas
This Christmas was wonderful. But then it's hard to have a bad christmas when you have two little children to remind you of what it's supposed to be.
It was a relaxed sort of Christmas. Christmas morning was pure magic, with the children very happy and grateful that Santa came through with everything that they'd put on their modest lists.
Later Christmas day we entertained, with my dad and D.'s brother and his kids over for dinner. All was well, and the food was delicious and the mood was light and happy. Best of all, everyone had left by 5:00 and we put the kids to bed early and had a very quiet night by ourselves on the livingroom couch. This after wrapping gifts and stuffing stockings and assembling a games table and eating Santa's cookies and the reindeers' carrots til very late Christmas Eve.
Boxing Day is always the big family day at my mom's, and this year was no exception. It is always fun and crazy and raucous, with a somewhat depressing orgy of gift-opening after the turkey dinner. I don't know exactly why this gets me down every year, but it does. It's just too much stuff, most of which we don't need. I would be so much happier if there were fewer gifts, but every year we try to talk to our mother about it and every year she does the same thing. She likes it, and she keeps saying "someday I won't be here to do this, so let's enjoy it while we can!" I understand that, but I think I'd enjoy it better if we were taking home only one or two well-chosen gifts, rather than a trunk-full of stuff. Call me the anti-consumer.
Having said that, we did receive a few gifts that were sorely needed, like a cordless phone/answering-machine that actually works. We had been in dire straits for about a week before, so that really comes in handy. I also received a beautiful little figure of a pregnant woman. I love that.
And my daughter got the Shania Twain CD. She's pretty damn happy about that.
The next day my daughter and I got to enjoy the very thoughtful Christmas present of tickets to see The Nutcracker ballet at Place des Arts. It was so beautiful. The sets and costumes, the music and romance and fun of the story were all thrilling and a balm for the senses. My daughter thoroughly loved it, and so did I. She is such good company on an outing! She makes everything a delight.
So much activity tired me out, and I was looking forward to taking yesterday just to do nothing but sit around and read my book. That didn't happen, unfortunately, but we had a good day anyway. We got a dinner invitation we couldn't refuse, and had a lovely time. The best part was that we walked there and back, pulling the kids on a sled. It was a gorgeous winter evening; the sky was inky-blue with twinkling stars and a crescent moon, and the world felt a friendly, kindly place.
(We walked because our car is broken, which isn't so good, and bad timing money-wise, but when do these things ever happen at an opportune time?)
This week I'm going to rest. I need it.
This Christmas was wonderful. But then it's hard to have a bad christmas when you have two little children to remind you of what it's supposed to be.
It was a relaxed sort of Christmas. Christmas morning was pure magic, with the children very happy and grateful that Santa came through with everything that they'd put on their modest lists.
Later Christmas day we entertained, with my dad and D.'s brother and his kids over for dinner. All was well, and the food was delicious and the mood was light and happy. Best of all, everyone had left by 5:00 and we put the kids to bed early and had a very quiet night by ourselves on the livingroom couch. This after wrapping gifts and stuffing stockings and assembling a games table and eating Santa's cookies and the reindeers' carrots til very late Christmas Eve.
Boxing Day is always the big family day at my mom's, and this year was no exception. It is always fun and crazy and raucous, with a somewhat depressing orgy of gift-opening after the turkey dinner. I don't know exactly why this gets me down every year, but it does. It's just too much stuff, most of which we don't need. I would be so much happier if there were fewer gifts, but every year we try to talk to our mother about it and every year she does the same thing. She likes it, and she keeps saying "someday I won't be here to do this, so let's enjoy it while we can!" I understand that, but I think I'd enjoy it better if we were taking home only one or two well-chosen gifts, rather than a trunk-full of stuff. Call me the anti-consumer.
Having said that, we did receive a few gifts that were sorely needed, like a cordless phone/answering-machine that actually works. We had been in dire straits for about a week before, so that really comes in handy. I also received a beautiful little figure of a pregnant woman. I love that.
And my daughter got the Shania Twain CD. She's pretty damn happy about that.
The next day my daughter and I got to enjoy the very thoughtful Christmas present of tickets to see The Nutcracker ballet at Place des Arts. It was so beautiful. The sets and costumes, the music and romance and fun of the story were all thrilling and a balm for the senses. My daughter thoroughly loved it, and so did I. She is such good company on an outing! She makes everything a delight.
So much activity tired me out, and I was looking forward to taking yesterday just to do nothing but sit around and read my book. That didn't happen, unfortunately, but we had a good day anyway. We got a dinner invitation we couldn't refuse, and had a lovely time. The best part was that we walked there and back, pulling the kids on a sled. It was a gorgeous winter evening; the sky was inky-blue with twinkling stars and a crescent moon, and the world felt a friendly, kindly place.
(We walked because our car is broken, which isn't so good, and bad timing money-wise, but when do these things ever happen at an opportune time?)
This week I'm going to rest. I need it.
# posted by becca : 8:16 AM
