A different kind of Christmas

I think not matter who you are, how great or horrible your life is, whether you celebrate for the Reason (Jesus) or it's just a fun holiday Christmas brings its up and downs. I love Christmas, most importantly to me, its the time of the year we celebrate the birth of my savior, it's a time for family and friends, not to mention it provides me with a wonderful excuse to do an exorbitant amount of baking. Last Christmas was the first time I had ever been away from my family for the Holidays. Joel and I had just gotten married the summer before and financially we just couldn't swing the ridiculous cost of flying home. I was sad, but o.k. at the same time, Joel's entire family is here and it was my first Christmas experience with a big family and I loved. The eating and visiting started the minute Joel's Auntie, Uncle and 2 cousins got off the plane, aside from them everyone else lives in Saskatoon. We were so busy, I was never given the opportunity to feel sad, or bored, or sleepy and especailly not hungry. I wish I could have been with my family last Christmas but since I couldn't I have to say I have been blessed with some pretty amazing in-laws and I had a wondeful Christmas

This year Christmas will be different. Christmas is in Kelowna, I'm so excited to see my family and friends but a turn of events has slightly altered the traditions of past Christmas'. Roughly a month ago we found out my dad would need to have heart surgery. My dad has a bad heart valve and I think him an my mom always knew he would eventually have to have it taken care of. Well eventually turned into now, he was short listed I guess you could say and later turned into sooner. Dec 16th my mom and dad will be flying to Victoria and then Dec 22 is heart day, and the day we get into Kelowna. It's one of those bitter sweet situations, it's amazing that he got in so fast which means he'll be able to get back to leading a normal life sooner, but in the same breath we won't get to spend Chrismas with my parents. We'll spend Christmas eve as we traditional do, Christmas eve service at church and then off to my second family's house for the eating portion of the evening,and then we'll go to my Grandparents for Christmas Dinner but there's still that little sting in my heart that really wants my parents to be home. Growing up was always the same, Christine would get up way ealier then me and wait eagerly for me to wake up, I think when my dad couldn't handle my sisters excitment anymore he would wake me and my mom, I secretly knew he was as excited as my sister. Mom gets the garbge bag ready to collect the wrapping paper which once looked pristine and perfect under the tree, but now looks like nothing but a giant ball of crumpled up color. If it's our year to have Chriatmas dinner the grandparents would be there and my Grandpa DeRoche would be dressed in some Christmas outfit. If you can pictures a big cuddly man wearing a yellow turtle neck paired with thick red suspenders a glowing rudolf nose and a Grinch Santa hat that sat high above his head that's my grandpa in one of his many special Christmas outfits. My dad would sit at the base of the tree and we'd all gather around him. Mom and I would open our stockings followed by my dads favorite part, handing out the gifts. Everyone had to have a gift to open at the same time. When we finished opening our gifts my dad would start cooking, my mom would sit at the table and work on her puzzle, Christine would be eating all (an I mean all) her candy and chocolate, and on the off chance she couldn't finish it all she'd proptly hide it so we couldn't get it, and I would rearange the living room so that we could move once again and then proceed with something else. Although Christmas this year will have parts that are the same a big part will be different. This year will be Joel's first Christmas away from his family(who he's really close with), which I think will be harder for him then it was for me, so I have to try and make the day special for him and for my sister which is a bit intimidating. I know Christmas will still be wondeful, just different.