Sunday, December 12, 2010

Twelve Christmas Memories: Part I

My blog/FB friend Michelle Fabio, from the fabulous blog Bleeding Espresso, inspired me to blog about twelve Christmas memories as she had back in 2007. I don't know if I have twelve worthy of being blogged about, but, as I think my blog needs some life breathed into it (ie: I need to blog more!) I figured what the heck?
-
And away we go...
-
My earliest Christmas memory is from when I was just four years old. My family lived in Yukon, Oklahoma (home of Garth Brooks for anyone who knows who that is). My father's family lived (and still resides) in California while my mother's was mainly in Oklahoma and Texas. That Christmas we, along with my grandfather Pap who lived in Texas, took to the road and made the nearly two day trek to California. Just one thing, we did it in a bus.
-
To this day I hate traveling in buses.
-
We made it, more or less intact. I remember being so exhausted and then very overwhelmed by the sheer number of people when we got there. My father has three sisters and another half-sister. Add a spouse and a child or two, my family, and my grandparents, there were more family members there than I had ever seen! I singled out my Aunt S and cousin M as the people to stick to- like glue.
-
I don't remember the Christmas presents so much as the activities and misadventures during that time. One night during the mass bathtime, that was neccessary with so many small children running around, being that I was the only female cousin my age I actually attempted to use the toilet in the fashion that my young male relatives, and brother, did. I was not successful and quickly corrected that said technique does NOT work with girl parts. Please keep in mind I had just turned four and I really, really didn't know any better. I remember sleeping in a big room with my cousins and waking up before everyone, seeing one of my aunts, but, my sleepy mind thinking she was a bear walking quietly amongst us. I remember the cats around my grandparents house that was in the woods near Yosemite National Park.
-
I think that Christmas will always be about the experience of being somewhere new and being around family that I had never seen in one place. I remember them and all the new and sometimes strange things they did and this big woodsy place in California where we all had gathered. My first Christmas memory, which is appropriate as I love going to new places and being around people gathered together to celebrate and/or just appreciating being around one another. I think that Christmas set a tone that has always been around my whole life.
-

6 comments:

Sarah said...

What a neat memory! Funny, too. :)

Anonymous said...

What a very good memory to have about Christmas. Except maybe going across country in a bus.
It's interesting that your memories are about changes at Christmas, mine are all about things being the same every year.

Habebi said...

Sarah- Thank you! I thought it was fun as I was a curious kiddo and prone to trying all sorts of things that were... erm, eyebrow raising. Thankfully though I did have a sense of limits and I think that spared me, and my parents no doubt, a lot of grief.

Habebi said...

Dedene- Yeah the bus thing, I still feel a bit carsick thinking about it. lol You make a great point about changes, as many of the Christmas memories I want to share are about the things that change. Though, to be said, I do have many personal traditions, but, throughout much of my life we were moving, my parents trying out new denominations before going back to Catholicism, being far from family, then being close to family, etc etc. I guess it was inevitable that there were going to be many flucuations throughout my childhood.

Michelle | Bleeding Espresso said...

That is awesome. When we're little we don't realize just how important experiences like that can become in our lives...what a gift your family gave you with that road trip :)

Habebi said...

Michelle- Bonjorno! You have hit the nail on the head! I've been trying to figure out what all these memories mean and you come here and give it to me. Grazie mille! Each memory contains a gift, not of the material nature, but, of the life lessons sort. Each major Christmas memory I've been delving into I have indeed learned something valuable, either about myself, life, the spirit of the season, etc.

I appreciate you taking time to come to my humble little blog! Hope you and your loved ones (furry and human) are having a lovely Christmas season! Merry Christmas!