Christmas Traditions

Or maybe one's that I would like to be traditions but they never quite fly.

I am extremely delusional. It is noted in an earlier blog this year that I have expectations for things. The biggest thing God has worked on in me this year is my expectations of people, places, experiencs, reactions, follow ups, the weather, meals, presents, holidays, etc etc etc.....
It's bad. But I am getting better. Just lots of drugs.
jk jk

So, tis the season to eat, drink and be.....not always so merry it seems. Well, not this year. I am declaring today, December 21st (geez, louise, is it the 21st??? I have yet to finish the Christmas cards, the shopping, or find that special someone to bring to the crazy fmaily dinner Thursday night where I always get hounded about my beloved solitude) so, yes, today, the 21st, I declare that I am expectationless!
I mean really. I am supposed to be the salt and light of the world to all you secular hedenists and here I am, every year, being somewhat dissappointed by the not-so-merriment of Christmas. really, I love the time of the year for all the right reasons. I love the time with my fam - I crave it (well, only about 2.5 days of it). I love the decorations around the house. I love Christmas service at midnight. I love that it brings out the giving spirit in everyone (or else the guilty spirit). It is the not-part-of-Christmas parts that make it not- so-merry. Namely, the expectations that this Christmas things will all click for everyone, You know, everyone will truly, including myself, realize why we are even here to begin with and why we even needed a Christmas in the first place. WE needed a savior at Christmas because we needed saving. (Great message on this at www.Northpoint.com. Go to "Make Believe Christmas" from December 11th).

Anywho, withall that being said....here are some of the Nicholson things that come to mind. I should probably find that special someone before I publicize this but here it goes....
-8-12 dozen Pinwheel cookie rolls are made on an all out baking day with mom somewhere early in December
-Nana adorns each of the grandkids trees with the ornament of the year at Thanksgiving ( I have yet to know where my mother hords these ornaments but I know i have a stash somewhere).
-Carter and Matt (the coolest brothers in America) call me about 4 days before Christmas and ask me what 'we' got mom and dad for Christmas
-Early December mom asks for the 'list' to which we all reply that this year (like the last) we really dont want anything.(This isnt true every single year. We are trying to think that we dont want things because we want to feel that true Christmas -filled, Christ-centerd feeling but....every year about a week and a half after we swear there is nothing at all that we want we come with a list 12-20 lines long.)
-Throughout December dad rallies the troops (or attempts these days with 2 siblings away and 2 of the 3 are sociable teenagers) to watch EVERY Christmas movie EVER made. He recites the lines to White Christmas, It's a Wonderful Life, The Christmas Story and Christmas Vacation for the next 60 days as well.
-Day after Thanksgiving dad adorns the windows with the usual wreaths and bows (very comforting)
-Sunday before Christmas (though moved to this Thursday this year) the entire 60+ Nicholson clan gathers for what seems like an evening of wassle and bad gift giving. The dirty Santa game has produced bowling balls, lots of liquor, empty boxes, a bag of condoms (I tell no lies. And this particular year there were some 'first time' guests. Nice.) Dad makes his classic wassle for the event (look it up - wassle is really a thing.....except I can't find anyone but my family that seems to know what it is). He is very proud of this concoction and should be.
-Christmas Eve mom's family always stays real late until they forget that their young children need to get in bed before 2am for Santa to come
-Dad goes to 4pm Mass. He likes to beat the crowd in all circumstances.
-I wake up at 5:45. Yes, still....run down stairs. Glossy-eyed, peer at the presents on the floor. Go back to bed until awakened around 8 by the kids to which I tell them they are inmature and should go back to bed.
-I stubbornly climb out of bed and stroll downstairs an hour later. Santa presents opened first then...
-Dad (and only dad. No one can help) makes his usual Christmas breakfast of smoked eggs, smoked ham, smoked bacon, smoked biscuits (this is somewhat sarcastic but dad did get a smoker last year and EVERything was smoked. Hopefully this year he is over it.)
-Then we open presents from mom. Mom plays Santa and dishes out.
-Dad gets re-excited about the socks or shaving cream that we give him as those are the only things he ever needs.
-Dad sets up the video recorder to capture all of the action. This is always lovely and in such high demand to view when the fam comes over again later.
-The boys go play with toys.
-I play with their toys too as Santa doesnt give grown ladies toys anymore.
-I get online and decide what i want for my birthday just 3 weeks later.
-Dad and the boys go over to the cousins to play poker. They never win but they always play.

I love Christmas time! I love the traditions and the not-so -traditions that arent worth noting but always make their way into the Christmas scene. I can't wait to start my own traditions someday. The Terrace Christmas party may be the first! PS - check out the pics if you were there (and if you werent there and you check them out then that is weird)
www.pic-man.com/sureshot
(You should have the password)
Merry Merry.