Clark: Our holidays were always such a mess.
Clark Sr.: Oh, yeah.
Clark: How'd you get through it?
Clark Sr.: I had a lot of help from Jack Daniels.
Clark Sr.: Oh, yeah.
Clark: How'd you get through it?
Clark Sr.: I had a lot of help from Jack Daniels.
(National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, 1989)
Day Twenty-Seven: And we're off and running, folks. The turkey leftovers are picked over, the cranberry sauce has been discarded, the stuffing is nothing but bread crumbs and raisin bits, and the kids are clamoring for snow, tinsel, trees, and candy canes. We were barely off the plane last night before Eibhlin was asking if we could decorate today, downstairs tree and all. As if we didn't have enough to do, right?! But what is a parent to do when, every year that her children have been alive, the Sunday after Thanksgiving has transformed our home from la-di-dah to a winter wonderland? That parent says sure, hon, we'll start right after breakfast...and that is what they do.
Day Twenty-Seven: And we're off and running, folks. The turkey leftovers are picked over, the cranberry sauce has been discarded, the stuffing is nothing but bread crumbs and raisin bits, and the kids are clamoring for snow, tinsel, trees, and candy canes. We were barely off the plane last night before Eibhlin was asking if we could decorate today, downstairs tree and all. As if we didn't have enough to do, right?! But what is a parent to do when, every year that her children have been alive, the Sunday after Thanksgiving has transformed our home from la-di-dah to a winter wonderland? That parent says sure, hon, we'll start right after breakfast...and that is what they do.
We spent the entire day today decorating the house, replacing old/broken bulbs, and buying new goodies for the outside light display. We carefully placed glass balls and candles on the tree, contemplated the proper placement of each and every candy-cane covered piece of house decor that has spent the last 11 months trapped in a box beneath the stairs. We discussed the impact of placing the glitter ornaments near the lights on their overall aesthetic appeal, we hung lights and garland on the staircase, placed stockings on the mantel, and draped lights on the bushes and trees out front. Dead tired from travel and decorating, we finally finished. The house was done. Nothing else got done today, but the Christmas decorations are perfectly hung and we are ready for four weeks of "Jingle Bells" and "Rudolph".
The best part of my day was not the decorating, despite what I may have lead you to believe (with my narrative above heavily coated with sarcasm and molasses). On the contrary, the decorating gives me a migraine and makes me wish I could justify drinking at lunch. However, I love that the kids all got into it- where to move the furniture, hang the Christmas card holder, etc- and that for them, this IS what the Sunday after Thanksgiving is about. For them, this tradition, it helps define when what the season is in their minds- it is NOW and it is family. And so even if this only lasts until they have flown (or escaped!) from the nest and go out to make memories and traditions of their own, I am thankful to have this for as long as we can- headache and all.
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