The New Holidays

There is a familiar sight this November day, a white layer covering the back porch, ebbing over the patchy lawn, and camouflaging into the pine trees that spread farther than we can actually see from our kitchen windows. Its a sight we’ve seen many times before, but this year is different. This cold November day was filled with giggles from our small daughter, where there was the resonance of whatever Christmas movie played in the background. I now find myself cooking breakfast for three instead of two, and cleaning our home with a tiny shadow following along every step of the way. 

How wonderful this time of the year truly is, when you have a child. It has turned an absent Christmas into one of happiness, joy and pure magic of the forthcoming holidays. Just imagine, two years ago during Christmas Eve Tony and I were on a five day road trip across Canada, driving along the monotonous Saskatchewan prairies in search of ANYPLACE to eat our Christmas Dinner. There were very little options beside a Husky and an A&W, we ultimately choose Canada’s Best Tasting Burger place of course. So there we were eating our Christmas dinners at a fast food restaurant, while we took a break from dark and cold Saskatchewan highway that Christmas Eve. I remember missing home, and my moms home cooked dumplings and turkey. My moms Christmas Dinners are always a grand feast, and a joyous time with the rest of my family. 

Those days feel so long ago, but the memories still heavily etched in my mind. 

This is Penelope’s first Christmas, and like my mother I want to make traditions of our own. Starting with Christmas decor, Christmas lights on miniature trees and absurdly big pincones. I waned about getting a tree since we were leaving for Florida a few weeks before Christmas, and wouldn’t be home until the new year. We ultimately decided this year we would skip the tree, mostly because Penelope is at the crawling almost walking stage which means she is getting into absolutely everything. I made sure to start playing Christmas Music as soon as Halloween was over, just so we would get those extra few weeks in before the holiday sun and non-chrirstmas music played.

So until we leave for the sunny south, I will be with my miraculous family in our festive home, thinking about how fortunate we are to have so much love, generously and family. I cant help but feel truly blessed.