Happy Holidays, my friends,
I decided to designate a page for my Christmas series. Keep all of my memories and stories about Christmas in one festive place. There is more to come, but this should get you in the spirit of the holidays. Hope you enjoy them. Just click below…
Ah, the ruined Christmas gift. No better way to sabotage your own built-up magic spirit of the holidays than tampering with the biggest most wanted item on your list. I was about six or seven when I began to get to the bottom of this Santa break-and-enter gimmick. As each year went on, the more cognizant I became of the sneaking around my mother, grandmother, and aunt were doing during the weeks leading up. My senses became Santa sharp. I remember starting to spot cover-up Christmas things my family was doing to paint the perfect backdrop to a wonderful holiday to come. Welcomed, only I was on to them. I became keener on hearing Christmas code conversations that filled the cookie-baking nights of my grandmother’s kitchen. I knew, but the cookies were too delicious. And, one day, which turned out to be the beginning of the end of my belief in a man called Santa, was when I found peace a la resistance. I found the Holy Grail of childhood Christmas holiday wonder. I found the notorious and infamous gift hiding place. Yup, with all those particular sets of skills I had acquired, and with all the determination of a kid destined to ruin the only magical wonder he would experience in his life, I went ahead and spoiled my very own Christmas with one too many tears in the gift-wrapping.
Continue reading “Post of Christmas Past # 6 – The Ruined Christmas Gift”
Ah, the missing gift. Christmastime, a sad reminder that once again there will be a certain To: and From: gift nametag missing from under the tree. A present that no longer finds its way on Santa’s list. A gift we most likely have asked for every year since. It is one of the hardest things about the holidays for me. However, I learned a long time ago not to dwell on that when it came to thinking of the people who are no longer a part of my life. Instead, I started to think of all the memories I have of them and no matter what, they will always be a part of my life that way. That will never be lost.
Continue reading “Post of Christmas Past # 5 – The Missing Gift”
rainy nights devils dance
their guise of secrets
under piss-yellow street lights
in the alleys cast shade
when monsters come out to play
who can barely see a thing as Hyde shows
every line blurred
people touching
music lulling sensual acts
dirty corners whisper in commentary
jealous they didn’t swallow first
illicits hold all those to deeds of passion and lust
no one cares about anything and only want more
the creatures dance and hypnotize
until the sharp sun rises then they flee
changing it back once again
Take me to a Spring
where every day was as young as I
and the sun would come winking through the curtains
How cool would it be to have a day between Saturday and Sunday?
Time isn’t the main thing, it’s the only thing. – Miles Davis
I walked a path less travelled,
Miss you Pop.
I’ve made it to tibbs eve, the shopping is done, it’s snowing outside and I just poured a drink-Merry Christmas everybody. People were hustling and bustling at the malls,traffic created some white knuckled moments, and there’s a turkey keeping my fridge door from shutting all the way, all sure signs that Santa is soon coming to town. Everyone I saw tonight looked relatively happy as they buzzed around putting final touches on the last of their holiday lists. Sales at every turn, “excuse me” was the phrase of choice and I even passed a lineup of cheerful kids waiting for a photo op with the man in red himself all just in the “nick”of time.
There’s so much that needs to be done before the big day and it’s only now that I got the opportunity to make a blog post and ironically also in the nick of time. I had to make some sort of post for the conditions are all there. There’s a blizzard outside, the tree is beautiful with all those lights, gifts are being wrapped and christmas music has created the perfect atmosphere for me to write. An atmosphere that makes me think back on old times trying to recall some of the things that I did as a kid to celebrate the day before the eve of Christmas. Memories of happy times and how for that one time of year family was first, food was plentiful and the world seems to stop, even if for a few short days.
People are winding down their workloads, shutting off their lights and punching out for some well deserved quality time with family and friends. Gathering together and enjoying each other as much as possible, eating, drinking and just creating special moments with the people we love, I love this time of year. Life throws so much at us, it allows us to become distracted from what matters the most. To get time like this to forget all that and just focus on our closest bff’s and the kinfolk are times to be celebrated-embrace it. My grandmother loved Christmas, she loved people and with her, there was no such thing as too many, everybody was welcomed no matter what. She was in her glee when there was a constant roar in of conversation in the kitchen and drink of whiskey in her hand, that smirk on her face when you questioned what was in her glass would guarantee to make your heart smile.
Miss somebody? Christmas is famous for that as well unfortunately, this time of year can remind us of that void in our lives but that’s ok because we need that too. Sure it sucks reminiscing about a time that no longer includes a certain someone, but for the time that they were around I bet there are some unforgettable Christmases that were spent together. I miss my grandparents, my uncles and friends a lot at Christmas time but thinking about them also makes me feel at peace with the fact that are gone but am reassured that they will never be forgotten. They will be forever a part of me and this time of the year brings that out the most.
Like I said, it’s the day before Christmas eve and I’m sure there are traditions that you’re recreating right now with the people you love and spend time with. Card games, marathon gift wrapping, and shed parties are only examples of all that tends to happen on a day like today. One example I guess is the last minute shopping tradition, the one that I was a part of earlier, well, at least I know that I am not the only one, it’s not on purpose I promise. Any traditions you keep? Anything that has to happen for you or Christmas just don’t seem the same?
The weather is horrible too, Santa’s sleigh would have come in handy on night like tonight. That said, now that I’m inside looking at the snowfall, it does give me a very festive feeling inside. I have always wanted to have snow on Christmas, it just doesn’t have that same feel to it without a slight dusting of the white stuff. I went for a walk a few nights ago and the snow had just fallen and you know, with the Christmas lights it completely made me feel all nostalgic. I couldn’t help but think about what it was like for me as a kid when I too was going to bed early and hoping I was good enough to make the nice list and Santa was going to bring me that GT Snowracer I wanted so badly this one year. Last week my little nephew was visiting us (he’s three) and I got the chance to see a glimpse of what Christmas means to a kid whose enchanted by the spirit of the holidays and it showed me once again that is truly all about the kids.
So I leave you with a wish of a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, I thank you all for reading my blog, I appreciate every view, like and follow. I started this blog not knowing if I would be this far invested but I am starting to realize that I enjoy sharing with you my thoughts and feelings about the world around me. Have a safe holiday and all the best in the 2017.
Merry Christmas
Ash
Earth To Ash 