Remembrances of Christmas past hold memories that are dear to me. As a child Santa would arrive at the early hour of midnight on Christmas Eve. At the time I always thought it was because, living in Canada, naturally we were closer to the North Pole than other countries. Little did I know it was because my father's job as a milkman entailed his working on Christmas Day.
My brother and I were the only children in the family. Therefore many of our Aunts and Uncles would arrive late Christmas Eve to watch the excitement we would share with them while opening our gifts. How my mother created the traditions of the holiday I now wonder. She worked full time for a department store, but yet still seemed to find the time to decorate the house, bake numerous delectables - including fresh breads - and a sit-down dinner for what seemed to be at least 20 or more people each year. I can still remember the one year that after the midnight present fest, and after most of our relatives had gone home for the evening, Mom and my Aunt fell asleep on a nearby couch as my brother and I quietly fingerpainted the living room rug. Since we were only 6 and 4 years old respectively, when she woke, all she could do it quietly slip into another room and laugh at our misadventures. To this day, each Christmas, she still reminds us of the year we "re-decorated" the living room with a smile on her face.
Although I still remember that particular Christmas with a certain fondness, my holiday celebrations have evolved over the years to represent different traditions and expectations. For several years I hosted a Tree Trimming Party, where I would invite several of my friends who, due to the fact they usually returned "home" for celebrations, didn't even put up a tree. I would supply a small feast for them to munch on while they decorated my home for me. I considered it an excellent exchange! Sometimes I would have people asking to be invited to that particular party the January before the December! Everyone enjoyed it as much as I did, and many hands made a big job a small task!
A few more years pass by and both my brother and myself had families of our own, so to accommodate the demands of the season I started hosting a "Family Christmas Eve Party." Everyone would show up at my house on Christmas Eve, bringing all their presents to open since Santa by tradition in our family arrived at Midnight! Plenty of food and drink, a Pictionary game or two, scented candles, lights and tree ablaze, everyone usually stumbled out the door around 2 in the morning stuffed to the gills with Nanaimo Bar.
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