My Turn to Wish You all Happy Holidays
Well, everyone else is writing up their Christmas wishes, so I figured I'd better get off my butt and do the same! I should say happy holidays, recognizing that not everyone celebrates Christmas, so whatever you happen to celebrate, or even if you don't celebrate anything at all, I wish you all the best as we wrap up 2017 and look forward to 2018.
Although my own personal views on life and the universe lean more toward the neo-pagan concept of Yule, I love Christmas. I love the lights, the music, the family gatherings.... I am very grateful that my elder son is much more interested in getting together with his extended family than the thought of receiving gifts. This is helpful because I can't afford to buy any! Ha ha! The younger one,,, well he's focused on the presents, but he's 5, so that's normal. Fortunately, my wife has the kids covered in the gift department.
My mom was a big fan of Christmas. She was one of the youngets in her Irish Catholic family of 14 kids. Yes, 14. Being near the tail end, she never really had as much as her siblings; almost everything she received was handed down from the other kids. As a result, she always tried to spoil us growing up. We were 2 boys and 4 girls (though only 3 of my sisters lived at home), so that meant a awful lot of presents...
The very last gift my mother gave me was a Christmas gift. She gave me a winter coat for Christmas '02, a few months before she passed away. It was incredibly warm and comfortable. Each year, up until Christmas I wear a different coat, adding a hoodie underneath as the temperature gets colder. Only after Christmas do I take out the one my mom gave me. In this way, I only wear it for a couple of months, ensuring that it stays in good shape, and also making it seem like I am receiving this gift from her again each year. Both of my parents had their birthdays in December, so this time of year brings back many memories and thoughts of family and growing up...
It will be a quiet Christmas this year. My wife is a nurse and it's her turn to work Christmas. She'll be doing 12-hour night shifts this weekend, so she'll be pretty tired when she gets home Christmas morning. As a result, we won't be joining our families this year, since they are about 2 1/2 hours away.
Still, I am very happy to stay in with my wife and kids. I think it might be only the second time since we met almost 20 years ago that we will be having the day to ourselves.
My wife and I decided not to exchange gifts this year, given that I have been unemployed for so long, but I still managed to receive several gifts.
I have the gift of a loving wife and two beautiful boys.
I have the gift of my health.
I have the gift of receiving some online work so that I am finally earning money again.
I have the gift of allthe wonderful people here at WA, who have offered help and support over the past year.
I have the gift of knowing that 2018 is going to be the best year ever.
I hope that all of you are equally blessed, and that you will also know nothing but success and prosperity in the coming year. WA really is like a second home to me now. I love the community here and I love the opportunity that WA provides us. I am looking forward to great things for all of us.
Have a happy, healthy, safe holiday season everyone!
Recent Comments
67
Wonderful post Craig and I absolutely enjoyed reading it. We certainly do have much to be grateful for. I have 4 kids, 9 grandkids and 3 great grands.
Merry Christmas to you and your family and I wish you the very best in 2018.
Wow!
My first thought when reading that was "if she has 3 great grandkids... whose picture is she using?" You must have found the fountain of youth!
Happy holidays to you and your family!
Thanks for a touching post, Craig. There were four of us, and I have many happy memories of growing up. My mother liked dolls, so my sister and I usually got dolls alike. To the naked eye they were identical, but Sheryll and I could always tell them apart.
I remember my mother sewing our doll clothes right under our noses. Mom took orders and made doll clothes for several customers, so we didn't pay much attention to what she was sewing, or ask questions about who she was sewing for.
One Christmas the 3 of us (I don't think my younger sister was born yet) Mom and Dad got us a sled. It was big enough for all 3 of us to slide down the hills together. Mom and Dad couldn't wrap it, so they hid it behind the couch. Ah, memories!
Merry Christmas, Craig....or Cool Yule! Carol
It seems that "behind the couch" was the hiding place of choice for many parents!
Thanks for sharing!
I remember working Christmas Day when I worked as a paramedic. My two older children had moved beyond believing in Santa. My younger two still believed. My younger daughter lived with her dad and my son, who lived with me, was a toddler. That Christmas was probably harder on me than it was then. I had no time with them as I worked a 24-hour shift.
The next morning when I got off, my husband and the kids picked me up from work and drove 5 hours to spend Christmas with my grandmother. It was the last Christmas we had with her. She left us in March. In fact, that was the last time I got to see her.
I always called her "Mama" because she raised me. I had no real memories of my mother until my brother passed away when I was nearly 13. Mama meant the world to me. There are so many things that have happened since then that I wish I could share with her.
She was such a good woman. Until her arthritis got so bad in her hands, she would spend the year making stuffed toys for children. She would give them to either the Salvation Army, the Boys and Girl's Club, or a local shelter that took in families. She made many children happy through the years.
I don't feel sad for her though. I know that she is happy wherever she is. I choose to believe she is with my grandfather who she loved deeply. If nothing else, she is out of pain, a condition I know too well myself now.
Here this is probably sounding down and I don't mean for it to sound that way. She taught me a great deal, both my grandparents did. I know that without everything they taught me, I would not have gotten to where I am today. I got my grit and determination from her.
Our memories can cloak us in the love that the people we have lost. I think that this time of year brings them closer to us somehow. To me, that is a great and wonderful thing. It takes us back to those good times that helped to form us. It will get us through those dark days of winter if we let it.
I'm looking forward to Christmas morning. My younger son, who is Autistic, still believes in Santa. He is 15 and I know this is probably the last year he will believe, but for this year, he does and he is excited about it. His brother and sister, though adults, would fight to the death to make sure he keeps on believing.
It magical, the smile on his face on Christmas morning. As long as he believes, I get to create that magic for him and that is a great feeling. I think this is the feeling my grandmother got when she gave to all those children and it just seems to draw us all together in the magic of the season.
Merry Christmas (Happy Yule) to You and Yours!
Anita
What a great story. Thank you so much for sharing. Your grandmother sounds wonderful. I never knew my grandparents, sadly.
I think you are right about memories. At first, they can be a bit painful when we lose someone, but then they become a wonderful source of comfort.
I think it's great that your son still believes in Santa. We all nee more magic in our lives. I'll be sad when my little one stops believing.
Happy holidays to you!
Merry Christmas my brother. Nice story! sniff sniff!
your brother from a different mother!
This is wonderful Craig. How touching. You made me think of my mother...
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours, Craig.
David
Thank you.
It's hard NOT to think about my parents at this time of year, but in thinking about them, I have them with me again.
All the best to you and your loved ones for this holiday season!
Thank you Craig for your beautiful post. I understand that you treasure the coat your mother gave you. It's wonderful to read how much that means to you.
I wish you and you family a wonderful Christmas and a happy and successful year in 2018.
Valerie
Thank you very much. I wish the best to you and yours as well. I hope we can all make 2018 an amazing year.
See more comments
Golly Craig my eyes are very moist. Your mum's coat will feel like a big hug from her.
It is very sad that so many people are out of work. That's why I clean houses now, too old for a regular job, but I must say I love to keep busy.
I alway love to chat with you Craig.
Love to your wonderful family.
Jae
They was I am going, that coat should last me for decades. Ha ha!
As for being out of work, it does have some good points. It gave me lot of time to work on my site and allowed me to keep my son at home with me instead of going to daycare.And now that I am earning a bit of money online it helps. Hopefully 2018 will see that turn into full-time income, or at least something close.
Wishing you all the best for Christmas and beyond!