All of the holiday cheer makes me feel rather... scroogish. Ask any of my students and they would agree. Especially those who see me scowl at the PA that sings carols during precious instructional time. Every year, I feel the carols of commercialism and forced gift giving beckoning around Halloween, and I try to ignore them until about December 20th. However, the holidays are important for children to experience. Xavier has to get a sense of bigger family traditions and togetherness.
Even though typical traditions tend to bother me, there are some traditions that I think are wonderful. I dislike Santa on the grounds that I firmly dislike lying to children about anything. However, I do participate in the local giving tree which benefits a local homeless shelter and I used to help my mom organize the tree at our old parish. I don't believe that giving gifts is something just to be done because it's a certain day - but that it should be meaningful and based on what you know about the person. Yet, we all forget, the only real gift that matters is time. Time spent together, time celebrated for each moment.
Growing up, the traditions that I most remember and care about were the ones in which we were all together. Or, were just funny. For example, putting up the tree and then wrestling with my older brother with the tree looming precariously above us, much to the disgruntled concern of our parents. "If that tree falls on you..." in a false threatening tone that showed my mothers annoyance more than her concern. If the holidays are really supposed to be about togetherness, then shouldn't we be celebrating the sibling rivalry and frustrations we try to keep down throughout the year?
Given that Xavier's an only child, Xavier and I are scoping out atypical approaches to this time of year. {READ: Mommy's trying not to lose her sanity or credit score over this time of year.} So this year, Xavier and I are having family time together - just the two of us - and doing some fun things...
There are the typical traditions that we've done this year such as: baking cookies, making crafts, making ornaments, day after T-Day shopping, going to the cinema with siblings, and having a snowball fight after the first real snow. Those are things that you can post pictures of, but pictures won't have the same fuzzy glow around the edges that comes with a strong memory.
However, I hope that Xavier remembers the more atypical traditions such as: feeding bison at a ranch, going horseback riding, or learning how to climb at the sports fest. We'll definitely go back to the Buffalo Ranch because we had so much fun. I think it will become a yearly or maybe more often tradition. When Xavier was riding the horse (with a lead guiding the horse) he was truly smiling. Just like when we fed the bison, he was really enjoying himself and we were enjoying each other. It's so easy to become frustrated with a 3 year old who can throw a tantrum or just ignore your very important instructions, but it's also so wonderful to be there for a lot of his first real memories.
Yes, it's hard to get in the holiday spirit. Yes, I know too much about commercialism and tend to be cynical about it. Yes, getting the right gifts for every person is a pain! However, no, I wouldn't let Xavier miss out on anything like family time, and especially not quirky traditions. Those are the ones that matter most.
