Christmas Caos

The holidays are going to be hectic with any family you encounter. Mine is no different. This year I'll be celebrating with my parents, my brother David/Joseph/whatever-he's-going-by-this-week, my sister Kolean, and her son Bryce. He's 5 and already has a firm grasp on the concept of receiving gifts. What he hasn't gotten a hold of is the fact that his "Daddy" won't be joining us this year. In all reality, the man he calls Daddy isn't even his biological father. My sister and Terrance were engaged for a while and living together so that's who Bryce considers his father. Terrance still helps my sister out and tries to be some semblance of a father for Bryce... when it's convenient. I love my sister. I do not, however, love most of the men she has dated over the years. They all start off great but sooner or later, they all break down into the same characterizations: controlling, jealous, and, more often than not, at least slightly emotionally abusive. But with a Mom like her... Bryce is pretty much set. He's always going to have that yearning for a father... but her love for him covers both parental roles and then some.


We all want that perfect traditional Christmas experience. Love, laughter, the smell of a good meal wafting through the house, swapping gifts and stories around the tree in front of the fire while it snows outside... the works. And for the most part, we capture most of it.. even if it's just for a moment. I'm a firm believer that you can't have an absolutely perfect Christmas... but you can have so many perfect Christmas moments. Even if it's just making your nephew laugh before bedtime by singing Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer with him. Or seeing your parents sneak a kiss under the wilting mistletoe when they think no one is watching. I absolutely adore the air of the Holiday season. And I'll admit to being a sucker for Christmas music... if I knew it wouldn't annoy my friends and family to tears, I would gladly listen to most of the songs year-round. I wish that the feeling of "glad tidings to all" would last throughout the year. The part of Christmas I hate (other than stores putting up decorations right after Halloween) is the fact that we have to have a commercialized holiday set aside to actually be decent to our fellow human beings. 

My Christmas wish, as it is every year, is that the humanity we experience and celebrate so thoroughly this time of year will last a few months longer.