Erieversible

We didn’t have any family nearby when we lived on the Isle of Man.  We did make some very good friends over the years, but most of them were in similar situations and many would head back to wherever they had come from for the holidays.  So our Christmas and New Year were, traditionally, very quiet.  We would try to find things to do with the kids, but mostly we would just have endless days sitting around the house while everything was shut up.  This was nice for the kids because they got lots of time to play with their new toys.  It wasn’t so great for us as we got bored long before work and school got back to normal.

Things are a bit different here, of course.  Christmas Eve was church and then my mother and sister came over for a while.  Then they were back bright and early the next morning to watch the great present unwrapping.  Then it was out for a big family meal on the 26th (which happens to be my birthday), with cake and presents after.  Yesterday evening there was a birthday party for a friend of mine, with kids and food and cake and fun.  Today we all went to my mother’s, where the cousins and other extended family had gathered for another celebration!

Now the kids are off school for a while and I’m busy making plans for them to get together with this cousin and that friend and whatever.   It is wonderful in an exhausting way…or maybe exhausting in a wonderful way?

Many years ago, before Christmas became the commercial extravagance that it is today, people made do with what they had instead of running up credit card bills.  Money was tighter and the money that was around went for things like food rather than massive Christmas displays that light up whole neighbourhoods.  (I, personally, love the massive Christmas displays and love going around with the kids pointing them out everywhere, but that is another post.)

In that not so distant past, my great grandfather made some of his own Christmas decorations by emptying a walnut shell and then spray painting it silver.  A bit of glue to hold the shell together and a hook inside and an ornament was born.  I don’t know how many he made, but I do know that only a few are still around.

When I moved to England my mother kindly gave me one for our family Christmas tree and every year it has taken pride of place on that family tree.  At the moment our poor walnut is somewhere in storage with all of our other Christmas decorations.  I was trying not to think about it…I’m trying not to think about any of the stuff in storage as it is too frustrating.  But my mom came by over the weekend with a pile of Christmas decorations for us to borrow for this year.  And a walnut.

She still has one for the tree at the house she shares with my sister, so they aren’t going without.  It is amazing how much one little thing can make a holiday feel special.  Merry Christmas everyone.

Continuing yesterday’s theme of making this a long weekend of family time, we headed down to the Pepsi Ampitheater for the children’s area of the Erie Summer Festival of the Arts.  My wife told me that in her younger days she helped out at this event but neither of us really knew what to expect.  Parking near the event was a tad troublesome, but worthwhile as both kids had fun, especially the 5 year old.  She couldn’t spend enough time there, making a tambourine, painting, helping with potter’s clay, chasing bubbles from the bubble machine, etc.  In fact anything at all seemed to entrance her.  Full marks to the organisers and all those who were giving up their time to run the event.

After lunch we returned to the house and, as I’d promised them, I turned the kids loose in the yard with water blasters.  I had intended to change into ‘disposable’ clothes first but they were far too quick on the trigger.  Or I was far too slow to appreciate just how ready they were to soak me!  Either way, I think they enjoyed it.

To end their day the older one went to his Taekwondo session and the little miss chilled out with books and then a short burst on the Playstation.  All in all both kids should have had a good day; no chores, no house viewing, just fun.  So, nothing at all achieved from the lists on getting settled in Erie, but a very successful day nonetheless.