I Love Me Some Christmastime

I love me some Christmastime. I always have. I enjoy getting to be with family, and I just enjoy the holiday. In honor of the season, I am going to do a "Countdown to Christmas".

Now, I have to be honest, I originally intended to do a twelve day countdown list (a la "Twelve Days of Christmas"), but I seemed to have done my math wrong, and if I were to start a twelve day countdown today, then it would end the day AFTER Christmas.

So, we are just going to pretend that I did #12, and I will start with #11.

Here, then, are my Eleven Favorite Christmas Memories.

11. The year of the Star Wars money banks. All the boys got one, and I did not. I was H.E.A.R.T.B.R.O.K.E.N. They called me for weeks after Christmas and their money banks (which played an appropriate Star Wars tune) left messages on my answering machine.

10. The year of the Whitman's Sampler. The short version of the story is that this is the year that one of the family members decided the best way to open Christmas gifts was one at a time--which is painfully awful when there are 21 people sitting in the room. So, while the adults were taking their turns each opening a gift, the grandkids ate 2 WHOLE boxes of Whitman's Samplers. That much chocolate on an empty stomach makes for an interesting day.

9. The singing of the Twelve Days of Christmas. On my mother's side, we sing Christmas carols on Christmas Eve. One of the songs we sing is of course the Twelve Days of Christmas. Aunt Patsy is always "five golden rings" and Aunt Ruth is always "a patridge in a pear tree". Here's the thing, after many decades of doing this, Aunt Ruth still can't remember her line of "...and a partridge in a pear tree," and must be cued each time.

8. Sleeping on an "air mattress". For the longest time, I was the only girl cousin on my dad's side. So, when figuring out sleeping arrangements, the boys always slept in one room together and I was made to sleep on the floor wherever there was an open space in the house (generally the kitchen). One year, though, someone bought an air mattress for me to sleep on. I was incredibly excited until I figured out it was one of those really thin swimming pool floaty mattresses. It still felt like I was sleeping on the floor.

7. The year of the grapefruits. One Christmas, one of my uncles got everyone boxes of grapefruit (which is NOT a much-loved fruit in our family). So, the grandkids spent the afternoon sneaking grapefruit out of the house and using it for target practice with my grandfather's rifle.

6. The poinsettia lights. one year, my grandparents proudly purchased new lights for their Christmas tree. They were the most awful looking poinsettia's on a string. I am still kicking myself that I didn't take those when my grandmother was getting rid of them because I do love all things ugly.

5. The ice on the overpass. Coming home from Lubbock one Christmas, I was given the privilege of driving. However, I had only had my license for less than a year. As we drove over the overpass in Post, I pointed out to my mother the overturned jeep on the other side of the road. It was at that moment that we hit a patch of ice. Once we started sliding, I chose to completely let go of the wheel, whereas my mother dived across the seat so that maybe someone would steer the car to safety. We managed to spin around and careen enough to hit all FOUR corners of the car before we slid to a stop off the road. My dad tied the bumpers (yes, plural) back on with some sort of wire, and we continued the 9 hour drive back home.

4. Mexican food. Okay, this isn't as much a story as it is a tradition. On my dad's side of the family, we eat homemade Mexican food for our Christmas meal. Yummy!

3. Mother's side of the family. On my mother's side of the family, we do our big thing on Christmas Eve with the WHOLE family--2nd, 3rd, and 4th cousins (yes, it is a regular hootenanny). Then on Christmas Day, we go to my mother's sister's house.

2. Family. I love the fact that even after all these years, both sides of the family have worked to get together for the holidays. Every other year (on both sides), we have everyone there. It's a tremendous amount of fun and VERY VERY loud.

1. Skipbo and 42. On my dad's side, we like to play games. The main two games we play are Skipbo and 42. Now, my dad's side has an interesting take on how to teach kids games. They don't do the whole "let's let the children be successful and learn the game". Oh no...they trash talk to the kids, and you know it has been a successful game if at least one player has been made to cry. With Skipbo, we all play together, but with 42, there are levels. You must first prove yourself at the "B" table before you are allowed to step within the inner-sanctum of the "A" table. And if you are seated at the "A" table, you must be ready for blood because there is a good chance your partner will throw something at you if you mess up a play. (Yes, we are a loving and caring family.)

Well, I hope you enjoyed my "11" list. Check back tomorrow for my "10 Reasons to Get All of Your Shopping Done in November."