Growing up at Christmas time, my grandmother, who lived with us, would say, "Pretty soon it will be all over." This was a reference to all the hype leading up to Christmas Day comes to a crashing end on Christmas morning once the gifts are opened. I remember quoting this to my mother and she told me, "Actually, on Christmas morning, it's really just beginning." While I took that to mean I would finally have all my new toys to play with and another week off from school, she clarified that her statement was intended to mean something a little different. "Christmas is when Jesus was born; his life and miracles were just getting started." While the depth of this was completely lost on my eight year old brain (Never mind He wasn't born in the winter... that's a different blog.) I did like her take on the Christmas season better than my grandmother's.
To be honest, I have a hard time defining when the Christmas season begins and ends. I know there's the church calendar, which has Advent occurring over the four weeks leading up to Christmas. Of course, there's the 12 days of Christmas, which are the days from December 25th up to Epiphany, which would support my mom's idea. Culturally, the Christmas season is black Friday through Christmas morning, which is more consistent with Grandma Wall's view. Whenever the season officially starts, here are my memorable moments of Christmas 2014:
> Three year old Xavier (X-man), whom we babysit, was playing with Rose's toy nativity. He put Mary in a monster truck, and had her run over a line of miniature nutcrackers.
> Picking up our 22 year old, Jo, at the Boston airport. I blogged about this earlier, but I had her to myself for three hours as we traveled back to Maine. We talked and laughed the whole way.
> Picking up our 20 year old, Naomi, at the Portland bus station. Her bus was an hour late, and as I waited in the terminal, I overheard a lady on the phone with her son. As the conversation progressed, it turned out that they were planning a vacation at a nudist resort. Perhaps it was voyeuristic of me, but I hung of every word of this bizarre conversation. It was hysterical.
> Practicing a new escape trick with Rose, in which she and I take turns being secured in a seven foot canvas mail bag and escape. The first several times were very humorous, as we took turns thrashing around on the floor all tied up in a sack.
> Listening to the Christmas album "Antlers" by Melanie; the best Christmas album EVER.
> Going for a drive with Naomi and getting lost, a typical event for us. But what a great time to talk about her work, her future, God, and more.
> Reading "A Christmas Carol" with my middle school class. It's one of the best Christmas books ever written, and it was so fun to share it with the students.
> A gift from our friend, Lauren. She donated five Operation Christmas Child boxes in our names to children in impoverished countries.
> Jona-Lynn being called forward at church as she was presented with a check for over $3000. This completed 'Project 15', something she created to raise $15,000 for a 15 passenger van for the orphanage she worked at in Uganda in 2013.
> Christmas Eve mass with my mother-in-law. I forgot how beautiful the liturgy was, and we sang "O Come, all Ye Faithful", "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing", and "Silent Night" three of my favorites.
> Seeing former student Katrina, her husband, Jim, and their two children: Narnia (age 4) and Noah (3). I love being 'Grandpa Rick' to the kids, and I'm so proud of Katrina.
> Seeing former student, Josh, and his wife, Samantha. They had us over at their new apartment, which is beautiful, and they're good friends.
> Our youngest daughter, Rose, lighting the advent candles at church with the pastor's son, Joey, and another member of the youth group. Rose was the only one who knew how to use a lighter. There's something to be said for teaching your kids to juggle fire.
> Our annual Christmas visit to the Bridgton Hospital, which will be the topic of my next blog.