Monday, December 3, 2007

Our Christmas Elf

This little guy is a major Christmas tradition in our house. Every year on December 1, he comes back from the North Pole (aka basement storage) and perches up high on the refrigerator in order to keep an eye on the kids for Santa. Some mornings when we come down for breakfast, we find him in the oddest of places - hanging from the telephone cord, in the fruit basket, even perched in the Christmas tree. He moves when we're not looking, you know. When the kids were littler, he would even be found outside their bedroom doors in the morning, a small present in his arms.

He's been on Christmas duty for many years, going back to my early childhood at least, if not earlier. Elf (or "le lutin", as I knew him back then) always kept an eye on me at Christmastime. I always made sure to behave or else le lutin would somehow keep Santa informed. When I had my first child - dd - my mother gave Elf to me so I could carry on the tradition.

Today is December 3, and up until a few minutes ago, Mr. Elf was still up at the North Pole!!! I really am behind on my Christmas preparations!!! The kids have lucked out, with 2.5 days of free misbehaviour. Well, it all ends NOW. I don't care if you're sixteen, or eleven, or forty-one (omg), or even forty-nine (he'll deny it, but that's how old my "oldest" is, lol), this little guy is going to rat you out if you don't behave in the days leading up to Christmas!

Here is a layout I did starring Elf a few years ago:


Christmas traditions have always been very important to me, but over the years I've learned that it's impossible for everything to always stay the same. Four years ago, we lost our oldest sister to cancer on Christmas Day. Two years ago, my kids saw their Mamie for the last time on Boxing Day. I spent last Christmas Eve at the emergency ward with my Dad, and I spent Christmas Day with dh's family, trying to make sense of the fact that my father-in-law was no longer with us. This year at Christmas my kids have only one grandparent left to make presents for. There's no question that Christmas has lost some of its luster, and taken on some new, heavy meaning for our family. Despite this however, it's important to move on. To retain the traditions that work, that make us smile. To put behind us those traditions that we just can't recreate - like my sister donning the Santa hat and handing out the presents on Christmas Eve with her jolly "ho, ho, ho's". Or our mother baking her dozens of different kinds of cookies for each of us, with as much love as flour and sugar. We can remember those traditions fondly, but for our sanity, for our soul, we have to move on.

It's also important to create new traditions for ourselves. I'd love to create the tradition of spending Christmas on a beach down south, but it looks as though this won't be the year where we put that tradition in place, unfortunately! I'll find something else though. Because when my kids grow up, I want them to remember our Christmas traditions fondly, whatever those may be.

If you have some special Christmas traditions you'd like to share, please take a moment to post them in the comments ... because I could surely use a little bit of inspiration this year!

3 comments:

Robyn~ said...

O wow....I knew you'd experienced loss around Christmas but I didn't know the extend of it....I am so sorry for all you've had to deal with....Merry Christmas in advance to ya and have fun with Elf!

Anonymous said...

I love your elf... I'm thinking I need to find me a tattletale elf to hang around our place this month! lol

The rest of your post... it makes me so sad, but at the same time, it inspires me. I say that because I look at you, and I think about your positive attitude towards life and come to the conclusion that you are an amazing person... so strong and caring and kind and generous. I can only imagine how difficult this time of year is for you, but I know you will make the best of it, despite the difficult memories. Sending a big (((hug))) your way and hoping you find some new traditions to fill you with Christmas spirit once again.

Love, Barb

Robyn~ said...

Jessi was our dog, our beloved golden retriever that I gave away to a GOOD/GREAT/WONDERFUL home in October. Reeve has not forgiven me.