lcoudon

So yesterday was Christmas, that infinite time of year where shoppers have exhausted the malls to place ribboned packages under the tree. As always, I began my day by waking up at 5:30 a.m. No, I didn’t do this on purpose. I have a 13 year old sister who insists we STILL wake up that early in the morning. By her shaky composure and drooling figure perched next to her pile of gifts that early in the morning, one would swear she hadn’t changed at all from the 6 year old girl she once was who believed in Santa. The rest of us, haggard and still hung over from the big Christmas Eve party we have every year, shuffle into the room and spend the first 20 minutes staring at her with glazed eyes as she rips into each gift. How exciting.
This year, after the present opening, my boyfriend Cody and I went to visit his grandparents in Dover. After spending a few hours there, we loaded ourselves into his truck and began the hour and a half drive home. While on the way back, Cody decided he wanted to stop at a Wawa and grab himself a Monster, one of those disgusting energy drinks that are so loaded with sugar your blood pressure rises just from the smell of them. As we paid and grabbed our bag, the cashier said “Merry Christmas!” and began ringing up the next person in line. Cody got this grin on his face, and explained his strange expression as we walked out to the car.
“I can’t believe she said Merry Christmas!” he said, still grinning and shaking his head as he flopped into the passenger seat and popped the top to his drink.
“What do you mean? It is Christmas… why wouldn’t she say that?” I asked, still puzzled.
“Because Christmas is only in the morning,” he answered nonchalantly as he threw the truck into reverse.
This made me ponder. I looked at the dash- the clock read 5:45p.m. Twelve hours since we’d sat against our own will watching my sister slash through wrapping paper. Was it true that it only felt like Christmas in the morning? When you first saw the presents under the brightly lit tree?
True, we had no traditions for the evenings of our Christmas’. Once the presents were unwrapped, it wasn’t much more than another day off work. Some families go to a movie or have a family party- maybe to them it feels like Christmas all day long. Maybe the reason our Christmas doesn’t even last a mere 12 hours is because we have no evening traditions. What a shame it is to think it should end so soon!
So, being desperate to make the Christmas mood last, I decided it was time to start up a tradition for our evenings. Something that would make us all feel as if Christmas had lasted the whole day through. But what could I think of at 6p.m.? Nothing was open. As we drove back to the house, I stared wide eyed out the window, searching for something other than a 7-11 or Wawa to make my tradition worthwhile. What family packs into the SUV and drives to a convenience store to pick up a pack of cigarettes on this holy day? No, that wouldn’t work.
That’s when I saw it. Just as my hopes were dwindling and I was sure Christmas was lost to the mornings, I saw the China Palace’s bright neon sign declaring they were open. But of course! The Chinese don’t celebrate Christmas! Leave it up to the wonderful freedom of tradition to offer my family this last bit of hope!
Desperate as I was, I tore into my house and gathered my whole family together, all of them doing various things around the house. Such a good thing I came in to save them and bring them back together!
We piled into the car and headed toward China Palace. Everyone was a little hesitant due to my bouncing chaotic mood, but they appeased me nonetheless. I was so excited as we pulled up and sure as anything, that beacon of light shone bright through the parking lot.
And so this is the story of how I prolonged Christmas to last through the day. Everyone was happy, and a new tradition was made.
The End.

Ok, so of course it doesn’t end there. And of course it wasn’t that happy of an ending. My sister actually found a nail in her lo mein, and my mother nearly choked on her spicy sesame chicken, which we didn’t know was supposed to be spicy. The Chinese place smelled horrible and the buddah figurine in the window was dressed in a santa costume. But I tried, ok?
If anyone has any ideas for a REAL Christmas tradition, please let us know. I have a year to find something to save 2009!

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