Deck the Halls

Tonight I reflect on this year’s Christmas gathering for Husband’s family.

Actually it is the only extended family party we attend since my family are either dead or moved away.

Husband likes to jokingly refer to his brother as Ebenezzer, but his brother and sister-in-law often open their home for the family on Christmas night.

They are most generous.

After thirty-eight Christmas celebrations, our’s are changing much in tone and temperament.

Both Grandpa and Grandma Lutz are gone, as well as Brother-in-law Rusty, Sister Toni, and Father-in-law.

So much for Christmas cheer.

Our first Christmas as a married couple was marred by the fact Husband’s mother died one month before. We went to the Lutz house, ate too much, and opened gifts. Grandma had a tradition that we go around the ciricle and open a gift each until they were all gone. She wanted to see what everyone received. I was accustomed to family giving real gifts that had meaning. They gave things like tea balls, Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, and other “fun” items. The older folks talked while us younger people took naps.

Now, the scary part is that Husband and his surviving siblings, and I, of course, are now the older generation.

One year when Husband’s sister was pregnant with her second son, she ate so much she jumped up and down to pack it all in. Then she went back for more. We laughed until we cried.

Our babies grew up, had babies, and are still having babies.

Husband and I now sit on the sofa and wait until all the young people and kids go through the food buffet.

It is safer that way because the young people come hungry for the ham and veggies and table full of cookies and goodies. There is no way I am taking these eyes cloudy with cataracts into that danger zone. I might get trampled.

When we were the young folks, we put much energy into decorating for the kids and buying them presents. Now we buy for the people age eighteen and younger.

We celebrate family by playing a gift-exchange game. This year we each chose the title of a Christmas song that we had to sing when it was our turn to choose a gift. Husband’s song was White Christmas; he stood and sang one entire stanza.

He reminded me of a third-grader performing at the Christmas program. It was cute to me. His sister outdid him, though, when she sang Away in a Manger.

I hosted Christmas when my offspring were children, and during those events we played Pictionary each year. Rusty and I married into a family of artistic people, but neither of us could draw. However, we teamed together and won each game for the reason we understood our own stick figures and unsophisticated drawings.

I never wanted to play Pictionary again after he died.

My sister-in-law continues to make the caramel brownies she has made since the beginning, but I stopped making the cherry cream cheese pies with Eagle Brand milk.

I now bring the veggie tray. It’s a mature thing to bring the healthy food.

One of the best Christmas gatherings we had was when Father-in-law and his wife had to leave early to spend time with her mother. This caused much anger and bad words among the family.  Of course, that part was not good.

Husband had been working at the mortuary, and he literally came in the door as the parents were going out. In a non-characteristic manner, Father-in-law hugged Husband and called him “buddy.”

Husband looked startled and mouthed to me”What is going on?”

In spite of anger and disappointment, after Father-in-law left we sat around the table, filled Husband in on the details of the evening, talked, laughed, and made hilarious comments.

I have always been thankful Husband was not at home at the time of the conflict. Due to his degree of impulsivity, he would not have been kind, and he would have said ugly words.

This year the Christmas event went quite smoothly while the younger generation talked about degree programs and their kids going off to college. Others talked about the babies that have arrived or are on the way.

On the way home I turned loving eyes toward Husband and said. “Well, we are now the Old Folks.” Husband returned incredulous eyes to me and replied “Ugh!”