Christmas Eve - my favorite night of the year!
Every year on Christmas Eve day, I call to check in on my grandmother and ask what time she would like us at her house. This year, she told me 4:30 pm. We managed to get out of the house at approximately 4:40 pm after corralling three hyped-up, crazed little boys into the car. (It was not an easy task. My boys were so excited I thought they were going to spontaneously combust.)
We were not the happiest holiday family as we set off for my Nana's and we got even less happy as we realized the Bills game had just let out and we were going to get stuck in massive traffic gridlock. The police had streets closed off, wouldn't let us turn, traffic was at a standstill and the boys were not at their best in the back seat. So I do what I do best, I started to cry, certain we were going to miss ALL the holiday fun because we were lost in a quagmire of football fans, damn it.
My crying got the boys to calm down. It also spurred Chris to very nicely ask the police officer to let us just drive for all of ten seconds on the street that they had closed for traffic. The police officer agreed. We got to my Nana's street after about a half hour in the car and found... We Were the First Ones There.
Not a soul was at my grandparent's house yet. We walked in to my grandparents very enthusiastically greeting us and then my grandmother admitting that she forgot she told everyone else 6 pm for arrival.
That will teach me, won't it?
The early arrival worked to our advantage though. It gave us some time alone with my grandparents. My Nana even gave me a job in the kitchen and an apron to wear to boot! (gold lame apron baby. And I rocked that bad boy! ) We laughed and giggled as we made sausage and stirred sauce. My grandfather set my boys on a chase around the house to count up my grandmother's Santa figurines she has scattered about. And Chris opened up a bottle of wine for all of us to enjoy. It may have been one of my favorite parts of the whole night.
The rest of my family started arriving about an hour into our stay, all decked out in their holiday best, ready for wine and cosmos and lots of food. My boys were in the glory chasing their cousins around the house and begging to open presents. We finally settled down to dinner where my grandfather began his annual tradition of welcoming everyone to dinner and selecting someone to say grace and to give the pre-dinner toast.
He picked Chris for the toast. Sixteen years ago to the day, Chris asked me to marry him, he raised his glass and toasted our family - for their love and their support over the years. I love how much a part of my family he is so naturally. At some point over the years, they stopped being mine and became ours. I couldn't ask for anything more.
We left way past the boys bedtime and our G fell asleep the minute he got in the car. He woke up when we pulled into the driveway, remembering we still had to put out our reindeer food on the front lawn. Chris opened the door and Aidan yelled, "What if Santa has already been here?". The boys quickly ran into the living room to check and were disappointed to discover Santa had not, yet been to our home. I loved that Aidan asked if Santa had arrived because it meant he still believed. I want to hold onto that magic of believing as long as we can. I am grateful he still gets to enjoy Christmas as a child.
We put the reindeer food across the front lawn (oatmeal and glitter), set out cookies and carrots on a plate, and got the boys all asleep in their beds.
I love Christmas Eve, the promise of magic and all the expectation of what tomorrow will bring. It is the best of the holiday.
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