This was a blogging prompt from a very Christmassy list that Veronica from Grown Up Tantrums shared with me..
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| The face sums up my year! |
There are a whole bunch of different prompts, but I chose this one, because this is the stuff that has been on my mind HEAVILY the past few weeks
Clearly, this Christmas is going to be a weird one. It's Lexi's first Christmas without her Daddy, and his absence -- which has been pretty bad on a daily basis -- is going to be felt...
A LOT.
He always cooked Christmas dinner (a turkey AND a ham, along with his magical sides), he was the king of ridiculously expensive electronic gifts....something Mom doesn't really believe in or condone, but mainly he was there. Usually a bit hung over from celebrating with his Legends family, but always THERE, first thing in the morning to supervise the opening of gifts, the looting of stockings, and to give and receive lots of Christmas hugs from our little Bird.
I have been struggling with keeping the Christmas spirit going in my heart, so I can make sure Lexi's first Christmas without her Daddy is still special, and I have been thinking about what new traditions we can start, to move us forward into this new Jimbo-less future.
Ahem.
CURRENT HOLIDAY TRADITIONS:
-Christmas tree from Thornton's Treeland.
I would highly recommend Thornton's to anyone that wants a real tree. Small, family-owned Christmas Tree farm, free coffee and hot chocolate, gift shop in a heated barn, petting zoo, hayrides, and just a really fun, quaint experience. Perfect way to kick off the holiday season, and the perfect antidote to Daddy's fake tree. (Jim vowed to never buy a live tree again, because we got a real tree for Lexi's first Christmas, and in spite of the tree-shaking, ended up with bees AND fleas in the house that year.....and, NO, the tree wasn't from Thornton's!!)
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| Thornton's 2009 with Mommy |
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| Thornton's 2016 with Auntee and Lizzie |
-Winter Wonderland at PIR. Nothing like baking some fresh chocolate chip cookies (fresh from the Nestle Tollhouse tube in my case....can't make cookies for sh!t), hitting Starbucks for Peppermint Mochas, and driving around the race track , listening to carols and looking at the lights.
Also.....
-Advent Calendars with chocolate in them.
-Making sure to watch all the Christmas Classics -- Rudolph, Frosty, Charlie Brown, A Christmas Story, and It's A Wonderful Life in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
-Reading 'Twas The Night Before Christmas in our PJs on Christmas Eve, right before bed.
-Using Daddy's shoes and flour to make Santa's footprints from the fireplace to the tree.
-Chocolate Chip cookies and hot cocoa (coffee) for pre-breakfast while opening presents, and then having Daddy's famous biscuits and gravy after.
-Mommy getting a potato in her stocking EVERY YEAR (sorry, but coal is too messy), along with a letter from Santa chastising me for the previous year's misdeeds (said misdeeds usually being alcoholism, smoking, promiscuity, or not allowing Lexi to get a pixie haircut).
-Eating a mammoth Christmas feast with everyone and then watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Scrooged, The Ref (a TRUE Christmas classic!), and all the FRIENDS Christmas episodes with Chardonnay and Christmas Chocolates.
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| CLASSIC!!! |
NEW TRADITIONS 2016 AND BEYOND
-NO MORE SANTA
I decided over the summer (before Jimbo dipped out) that this is the last year Santa will come visit Lexi. I already have the letter somewhat composed in my head, and I will be cribbing heavily (although not plagiarizing) from "Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus", as well as some other stuff about imagination, faith, hope, love, her dad, etc. And, before you start judging me for lying to my child for a decade, keeping her in the dark about reality, etc, etc, etc....go fuck yourself. There are much worse parenting fails to judge me for, so pick one of those and bugger off. (Also, quick shout-out to my little sister for saying, aghast, when I told her my plans "Poor Lexi! She's losing her Dad AND Santa this year?!?!!?)
Really made me feel good about the decision!!
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| Hopefully, I don't get this response!! |
-GIVING MORE
Public Service/Charity has not figured heavily in my holiday traditions, aside from picking a tag off of a giving tree and buying some presents for the kid listed. I am frantically trying to find something for Lexi and I to do this Christmas, preferably involving Veteran's, the elderly, or animals (because people are mostly shits). It's a goal of mine this year, and one I definitely need to fulfill.
-CHRISTMAS CARDS
I really want to write out and mail cards this year--well, every year actually. REALLLLLYYYYY BADLYYYYY. I am DEFINITELY doing this in 2016.
So, if any of you want one, message me your address and I will you send one!
-NO COOKING
I am not cooking Christmas Dinner this year. Instead, Lexi and I are getting dressed to the nines and having dinner out at a restaurant (or possibly the Portland Spirit-still looking at that option!) I don't know if that will become a tradition, but it seems like a good choice for us this year. (only wavering on Portland Spirit in case it turns into a PNW version of the Titanic....which, given my 2016 is entirely possible!!!)
Finally...and most importantly........
-FESTIVUS
Always wanted to do this, and this craptastic year is the perfect one to do so.....I am getting the pole ready, so if you want to come over and Air Grievances on 12/23/2016, call me and I will invite you!!
(If you don't know what I am talking about....1-OMG, what is WRONG with you???? 2-The word 'festivus' is a link....click it and let the magic of the holiday season enter your heart.)
I have a super busy Christmas Season ahead of me, so I may not get any more blog posts in before NYE (I will definitely be making a gleeful "Fuck Off 2016" post that evening while I am in flannel PJ's and a tiara, drinking copiously), so in case I don't see you, here is your Christmas present--- from me to you:
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| You're Welcome!! |
And if you REALLLLLY need to get me something...well, go ahead!! ;)
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| ;) |
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