Christmas used to be huge in our house. But that was when we had three kids at home and they were all little and totally believed in Santa. I would start shopping in about July and come Christmas Eve the three santa sacks would be chock full of pressies and more wrapped up under the tree. Since Santa stopped visiting in 2008 I've struggled with getting up any enthusiasm. Especially since Kate, who was our big traditionalist, left home. She would not hear of us changing any traditions that had been in place all her life. We have though, since she left. And I've dragged the chain getting lists going and finding out what the kids want. It's all big ticket electronic stuff but that's okay, better than the $$ I used to spend on crap to fill the Santa sacks. Now they get what they really want and we don't spend a lot of money on them during the year. But I try to get them some old fashioned surprises.
I still had my stash that I had saved for the Melbourne trip and had planned on getting myself something nice with it since we didn't need it while we were away. But today Phill and I went up to Young and I decided to get all Josh's 13th birthday presents and pay cash for them rather than pay them off with lay by or whatever. As it turns out it made me feel WAY better than if I'd bought something for myself (couldn't think of a thing I needed) and he will get everything on his list and a bit more and he deserves it. He's such a good boy, little or no trouble and finding himself constantly pushed into the background due to Emily's histrionics. He gets up every day and goes to school without complaint even though I know he is miserable there. I have all his presents wrapped and hidden in my wardrobe and I'm sooo excited. We also put on a Christmas lay by so I feel better that I've at least started to plan for that. There are a couple of things that they want that I can't seem to get here so it will fun sourcing those, from overseas if I have to. My first purchase on Ebay years ago was a Transformers toy, a huge bloody thing, that Josh really, really wanted. He was only little and I was determined to find it. I had to get it from the US but it was fun and so worth the look on his face when he unwrapped it on Christmas morning. He still has it. He really takes care of his toys and things and hates when something gets lost or broken (usually by Emily).
Today my Dad would have turned 88. I thought about him a lot for some reason and imagined how he'd be now, as an old, old man. He was only 58 when he died, not that much older than I am now.
Speaking of parents, I got a lovely card and a very generous cheque in the mail from my mother today. She apologised in a note for not getting me a gift, but it's so hard for her to get out due to her limited mobility now. She bought my sister a pair of earrings from a jeweller last month for her birthday! Bit of a shock but it's nice to get spoiled by my mum still at my age. A funny card from my other sister and a really nice little bookmark thingie about sisters. Everyone's getting soft in their old age and I love it.
We bought seedlings today, chilli, capsicum, pumpkin and something else that I can't remember. Phill got out and planted them all in various places. We had lunch at the club in Young which was nice. I am really, really trying to not be such a grumpy old bitch with him. He hasn't changed, I have and I don't like it. Never thought I'd grow into an intolerant old cow but I have. Thank God I can still poke fun at myself. My sense of humour, as always, sees me through.
Still thinking of Christmas. And as it was when I was a child. We'd have a roast chicken for lunch from memory, not sure how she made it go around and perhaps it was turkey, I must ask her, and Mum always seemed to have that awful tinned ham, remember that one that had a key on it and was packed in some kind of disgusting jelly? I never saw a leg ham until after I was married and my sister worked for a catering company and would get it cheap at Christmas and one year we went halves with her. Mum always made the home made pudding, the fruit and grog and sugar would sit on the stove and soak. I swear she put in extra because I am sure we'd all take a mouthful every time we walked past. Always a home made cake as well. And the threepences in the pudding, even after decimal currency came in in 1966, and we'd cash in the old threepenny bits for five cent pieces. We had an aluminium tree so no lights, for which I always yearned. My first year married I bought a tiny little plastic tree and lights for it!
Mum was a child during the Great Depression and of a single mum. I always had a "santa sack". A pillow case and in the bottom would always be whole stone fruits and nuts wrapped individually in cellophane. Her own mother must have done that for her and her sister as a touch of luxury that they wouldn't normally have had. We always had plenty of fruit and nuts about the house at Christmas but somehow those ones she wrapped especially were magical to me. I don't even remember what went in the sack, not much probably, there were five of us kids.
I do remember one year I snooped to find out she'd bought all five of us fold up umbrellas. That Christmas was memorable for all the wrong reasons. I never get my kids clothes or anything deemed "necessities", except the cute cartoon undies, some pjs, swimmers and hats that were tradition. It was fun, and toys all the way, as it should be.
We'll probably do turkey on Christmas Day with the usual seafood but I'm thinking I will do Vitello Tonnato and a lobster and cheese dish, two things I've always wanted to try for Christmas but got talked out of by my "nothing needs to be over garnished" husband. He can have his bare fruit of the sea and I will have my adorned stuff. I so wish that I knew someone who won't have anyone on Christmas Day, who we could adopt and spoil. I'm sure they are here, it's finding them that is tricky.
Okay it's still a way until Christmas so I'm sorry if I have alarmed you.
I could always go back to whingeing about my husband................
1 comment:
We have sooo much in common - maybe just growing up when we did! My dad was killed at 49 and I too imagine hime alive today and wonder how it might have been for mum and dad - she was totally heartbroken when he died - she died 66 - today he would be 91 - she would be 83 - so much time lost with them both - I miss them still and try to imagine they are there with Don and his parents - working for the good
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