...no one gives a rip where the Elf is

"Strange isn't it? Each man's life touches so many others. When he's not around it leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?" 

It's a Wonderful Life

This time of year always brings such a breakneck feeling of pursuits, between the shopping and cooking, the wrapping/hiding of gifts, the cleaning and preparing what you hope will be the most memorable holiday possible. You do all of the above out of love, caring and the hope that some things will never change. This time of year can be painful for those who see the beauty, but know they are missing a loved one. This time of year can also be like a warm blanket, the security of knowing everyone's heart grows this time of year unlike any other. Who ever really gets that misty on the Fourth of July?

For me, it is Rankin/Bass, Capra, Dickens and Schultz. These are the names I go to during the holiday season. While some are more secular in nature than others, it is the message, the feeling and most importantly the tradition that comes with their work now more than any other time of year. I remember, my kids would say ad nauseam, how special it was to see their reactions to the films of the afore mentioned people. How the Talls, while very small at the time, would sit our bed and watch Snoopy decorating his doghouse. Or the Smalls, even smaller, would love Burl Ives and his singing/narrating snowman character. We would all come together, reminisce and watch something together only in the month of December, you know when there seems to be about 28 million things to be done. But, for that moment, we could learn something without having to really be taught, and it felt good. 

I was reminded last night how much easier the evening routine/tradition is here as the kids have grown older. I remember having one child NEED to kiss everything in his room good-night before going to bed. Or how one child needed to mention everyone they KNEW in their nightly prayers. Now it is a book, a prayer and lights out for the youngest. This time of year, of course, is really about traditions. You have faith traditions, family traditions or traditions of survival. As these precious offspring I have grow older, sometimes the "traditions" we had just sort of fade away. By day 12, no one gives a rip where the Elf is. The advent doors forget to be opened. Not everyone is really that excited about Charlie Brown finding the real meaning of Christmas. The other night I noticed that Rudolph was on, I asked Nora if she wanted to watch it. She said, "Yes, I'll get a drink and be right back." When she came back into the room, she sat down and yelled loud enough for the neighbors to hear, "We are watching Rudolph, turn off your electronics and get in here NOW!" And, son-of-a-nutcracker, all of them appeared in the doorway, found a place to sit and watched. 

My question to the family last night at the dinner table was very loaded, you know 28 million things to do in this month, but simply this, "What would you like to do before Christmas that you haven't yet?" Yes, I speak before thinking a lot. Nora, as always, had the first suggestion to which the Talls, as expected, weren't having it. Nora, possibly has watched too many Hallmark Christmas movies-she wants to go caroling. I thought it was a fun idea, until she mentioned how then the people can invite us in to have hot chocolate and cookies. Um, what? I assured her we had enough Swiss Miss, and we could make our own. The rest of the family couldn't really think of anything, Oscar even said, "Do we have any traditions?" To which I fell on the floor and told someone to stab me with a sharp object. What have I been doing all these holiday seasons?

To be honest, he was a little right. We aren't really good at traditions in this house. Things happen, we enjoy ourselves, but frankly with this many people in one house there is always someone who doesn't feel like conforming...it is part of life. Or maybe we have so much fun on a regular basis we cannot narrow it down to one thing? What ever the case may be, there is now less than two weeks to make every moment count, even the ones when I get finished writing this...I'm will be joyfully cleaning toilets while listening to Christmas music.

This is my favorite time of year, for many reasons, but my heart longs for this time of year to be able to unashamedly watch It's a Wonderful Life. It is sappy. People roll their eyes at it. This house becomes an unsanctioned museum for it during Christmas time. It took me 15 minutes to pick just one quote from the movie. To me, it embodies what we all need, right now and forever. In this crazed world of social media, no one understands how really connected we are. The touch of a button, and I can chat with Jody my best friend from fourth grade, my college roommate Amy and Katja my German host sister. Or how I can connect family like Julie and Jeff, my cousins I only saw when someone died in our family because we lived so far apart. My Christmas wish for you, I'm tired of shopping, is to take a moment this holiday and connect with someone on that friends list and let them know you are wishing them all this best today and this holiday season. With so many things to do during this month, it will be the easiest thing you have done all year. Merry Christmas, from our family to yours.