Changing the Holiday Plans

Some families keep up the same family traditions every year.  Not us.

In the thirteen years that we’ve had our own family Christmas, we’ve found at least thirteen different ways to celebrate the holiday. 

We’ve celebrated at home with the full lit tree, Christmas Eve family dinner, Christmas Mass, and the full glory of Christmas morning.  Full stockings left at the children’s doors, a photo op before heading downstairs, tearing the wrapped door to the living room, presents from Santa by the fireplace, a long morning of gift opening, brunch, and a lazy afternoon watching movies and playing with the new toys. 

Since our family is spread so far apart, we’ve also spent several Christmas vacations traveling to California or the Caribbean.  On these trips, we keep some of our home traditions, but we add some local flavor, and perhaps a beach outing as well.

Even when we stay home, it’s not unusual to change our plans several times, even on Christmas week.

This year, we originally considered going to visit my sister in Florida.  I would drive down with my mother-in-law and the kids, and my husband would fly to meet us.  This plan didn’t work out.  My husband couldn’t get any time off beyond Christmas Eve and Day, and it was just too expensive, and too difficult for him to fly for just that weekend.

Then, we decided to enjoy a New York City weekend, staying with my mother-in-law for the holidays.  I envisioned a long, relaxing weekend with Winter strolls, and sightseeing in the city.

However, I hadn’t counted on the ski team schedule. 

This is Teen Daughter’s first year on the ski team, and we really had no idea what to expect.  It turns out that they start practicing at the beginning of December, and they’re supposed to ski every weekend.  They’re also supposed to attend a ski camp on the Monday and Tuesday between Christmas and New Year’s. 

It’s not a grueling schedule, and it’s not mandatory that she be there for every practice.  However, there has already been some parental complaints about her bypassing the ski club and joining the ski team without prior experience.  And, she really loves being on ski team and doesn’t want to miss any opportunity to ski.

She would go along to the New York City Christmas, but she wouldn’t be happy about it.  I doubt that my husband would be too keen to forgo powder for museum visits either.

After much deliberation, we’ve decided that we’re going with Christmas Plan 3.5: The Jiminy Peak Version.  We’re going to try to ski every day of the break, celebrating the holiday on the mountain.  I just hope they serve good egg nog!

As for the holiday decorating, well, the kids decided to do a little decorating with the Christmas Cactus.  They gave it a backdrop of snowflakes, and adorned it with gift decorations (Thanks, Di!)  We even have some gifts to put under the tree thanks to generous friends, and a little light shopping on our part. (Kayla already figured out that Alex got her a calendar, but he’s not telling what kind until Christmas morning!)

It’s not our usual Christmas, but then, since there is no "usual" with us, this is our Christmas tradition.

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