Where are you Christmas?

Gosh, Christmas is less than two weeks away and I am feeling like Cindy Lou Who in the movie "The Grinch". Maybe some snow on the ground would help. I am going to get a couple of fresh wreaths today, maybe that will at least bring the scent of Christmas into the house.


I think every single parent struggles with Christmas. All traditions change and its hard to give them up, as adults we love and treasure our past traditions even more so than the kids. They are a comfort zone for us and make us feel as if all is right with the world. My kids will be with their dad this year on Christmas Eve. This is the first year that I have had to give them up to him on Christmas Eve. I will be searching for a new tradition this year, I just can't imagine what it is going to be like not going to bed in the wee hours of the morning because I have stayed up late making sure everything is perfect Christmas morning, and then laying in bed, hardly able to sleep, excited for the kids to get up in the morning and see their gifts, probably even more excited than the kids themselves. There will be no breakfast casserole and homemade cinnamon rolls to pop in the oven, no relatives coming over to see what Santa has left, no house full of excitement.


And yes, I know this is not the true meaning of Christmas, but we always stopped before bedtime on Christmas Eve, each of us unwrapping one present, new pajamas of course, changing into them and then reading the Christmas Story from the Bible, while sipping on some hot chocolate. Wrapping up the evening with letters to Santa and cookies and milk and a couple of carrots for Rudolph. No there will be no traditions this year.


I may just attend midnight mass this year, its the one place I can think of that is full of tradition, pageantry and peace.