Ok, so I haven't written in a while. Sooo busy with Christmas and all. I have been off for the week though and have gotten a lot of things done.
Sara Watkins posted on her my space blog about Christmas. She was even listening to Amy Grant's Christmas Album...She always makes the best Christmas Albums. I know every song! So Sara and her Amy Grant Christmas Album inspired me to write. So finally I am able to sit down and collect my thoughts.
Christmas has always been my favorite time of the year. I have so many good family memories of this time of year. I love sitting down with a good Christmas movie and a room full of gifts and a large roll of wrapping paper and just go at it. Everyone is always leaving all of their gifts in my room for me to wrap. I even wrap my own gift! For a month before the big day, my room is filled with gifts of all shapes and sizes. Even though they all aren't for me, it is very nice to see what everyone else is getting!
We didn't get to decorate until late this year so that meant we only had about two weeks to enjoy the tree and stockings. I didn't even get to put up my "normal" tree this year because our den was filled with random furniture, scrapbooking stuff, and other mismatched items. But it was nice to decorate. I had taken pictures with my digital camera last year, so we were able to pull out those pictures to see where to put things. It made things go a lot faster. It was like a "Where's Waldo" of Christmas decorations. Trying to find a Santa head or a poinsetta. We even noticed that in one shot we caught part of the television, and even though we couldn't be sure of what was on at the time, we did see that they were saying "Thanks" on the closed caption! It was funny.
I got a lot of good gifts. Nathan got me a watch. A really nice watch. I kind of felt like Rory when she got the Burkin bag. I really didn't know how nice it really was. I got a new phone as well...a razor. I didn't think I was going to get it. Bradley wanted me to buy his phone for like 25 dollars so I could get a razor and give it to him since his plan wasn't up. And then Nathan was going to get me one and then he decided not to. I didn't even want one and then everyone kept talking about getting me one so I got excited and then I wasn't going to get one. They don't need to play with me like that! But I got it anyways.
Though the decorations and the presents and everything are nice, that is not what I like about Christmas. It is a feeling. A familiar and comfortable feeling of tradition. That is why I am so big on tradition. The baking for Christmas dinner. Opening gifts on Christmas morning. The familiar drive down to my grandmother's house. Even though my grandmother only lives like 15 minutes from my house, there is something about going down there on Christmas morning. I don't exactly know the way, but as soon as I turn off the main road into the little town of Flinstone, I can almost drive it in my sleep. The railroad tracks, the baseball fields...Driving through the usually bustling town that now looks quiet and empty. Everyone is off. Everyone is with family. Everyone is celebrating. I love that almost everyone in the world has something in common. We all know all the words to all of the Christmas songs. That is what is so great about Christmas music. No matter what type of music you listen to as soon as Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas or Rocking around the Christmas Tree comes on everyone starts singing along. It is a great sense of unity. I got out my Christmas albums alittle late this year, but as soon as I started playing them they brought me back. I have always listened to Amy Grant's or the Bilboard Christmas Album, but this year I added some from Jessica Simpson's last year. And I know, Jessica Simpson...infamous media figure...but some of her songs are really good! I love her version of Baby, It's Cold Outside with Nick. I just try to ignore the fact that they are getting a divorce.
And no matter how old I get or how jaded I may become, the smell of walking into my grandmother's house on Christmas morning will always be the same. It will always take me back. Even when it isn't Christmas. That is why I love staying at her house. In her house I will always be a little girl who loves to help her Nana make sweet tea. I love my room and my house and my parents, but there is something about my grandmother. It is like no matter what happens I can always go to her house and she will take care of me. It is a good feeling.
