A traditional Fozzolog to bind them
Posted: 17 December 2002 at 16:48:33
In this Fozzolog: Christmastime and the movies.
Rebmit
Aren't I clever? “Rebmit” is “timber” spelled backwards. Loggers (not web-loggers, it's guys who cut trees down I'm talking about) yell “Timber!” when a tree is about to fall. It seems to be the warning that a tree is about to pummel you into the dirt.
So, the erection of a christmas tree seems to me like an appropriate time to yell, “Rembit!”
We put up our Christmas tree Friday evening after I got home from Salt Lake/Orem. We had talked about delaying putting the tree up until just before Christmas because of concerns that our 2-year old Lucy would cause trouble by pulling ornaments and lights off the tree. Ultimately, we put the tree up without any ornaments and it hasn't been a problem (that I know of) except that she likes to plug it in and unplug it from time to time.
Christmas time makes me think of the holiday seasons while I was growing up. When you're a kid, it seems Christmas is your favorite time of the year. I remember we had a lot of traditions when I was growing up. On Christmas Eve, we'd either go to my maternal grandmother's house for a party/get-together or (later, when she was older) we'd host a party for family and friends at our house. There was always lots of good food to eat and people coming and going all evening.
When I was a teenager, I was obsessed with making our Christmas light exhibit in front of our house better than the previous year and it was always pleasing to hear someone say how much they liked the lights when they came to our Christmas Eve party.
On Christmas morning, we'd open gifts and marvel at each other's pile of goodies. Then, we'd change out of our pajamas and head to Uncle Don's house for breakfast. Uncle Don worked in shifts making some of the best breakfasts for everyone in the family. Breakfast included home-made sourdough scones, bratwurst sausage, eggs, hash browns, and fresh orange juice.
Later, we'd usually go visit my paternal grandmother and see some of my dad's family there.
So much has changed since I was a kid— or even a teenager. Pretty much all those traditions have gone away and that's makes me a bit sad.
My parents no longer host Christmas Eve parties. I don't think they've done anything like that since they moved out of their previous house in 1992. Christmas morning is different, of course, because we do that at our house now instead of at my parents' house. Uncle Don died about four years ago and his wife died almost two years ago. So, no more sourdough scones at their condo on Christmas morning. Both of my grandmothers have died since I was a teenager.
My parents have tried to adjust from being parents to being grandparents. They don't want to impose on anyone so we've been doing a Christmas celebration with them on the Saturday or Sunday before Christmas for the last few years. All their grandchildren then get to open all their gifts from my parents and other extended family a few days before Christmas, we have dinner, and then we go home and wait for the real Christmas to come even though it feels like it's over already.
I don't really care for this arrangment and I don't know if it's because it seems to separate Christmas from... well, Christmas or if it's because it's so different than what I grew up with.
I talked to Christine about this and we decided if we have a house in Salt Lake next Christmas, we'll invite family and friends over to our house on Christmas morning for breakfast like Uncle Don did. We figure if you don't like the traditions you're involved in, change them or create new ones.
LOTR-TTT
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers comes out in theaters tomorrow. Christine and I are joining my coworkers Dave and Eric at the Jordan Commons theatre tonight to catch the 12:01 A.M. showing.
I should be sufficiently incohent at work tomorrow. :-)