Talking Old Times and Making New Ones

We’ve been attending classroom Christmas parties the last two evenings. School parties for us this year include parents and siblings. They also include Gluhwein and Angel Punch and lots of sweet treats.

I love Christmas parties. At home in Ohio, my dear friend usually hosts a Christmas brunch during the first part of December. Everyone wears something different than our normal mom-day outfits and brings something to eat. Then we hang out and love on each other and kids go in the basement while we get our Christmas party on. It’s one of my favorite Christmas things.

When I was a kid, my family always had lots of different Christmas parties to attend. There was the one with our closest family friends where we’d trade houses and names and gifts. We’d eat dinner together and all of us hang out.

Then there was the one on Christmas Eve with my mom’s side of the family. We would trade names so everyone got one gift. Except the kids. We got two – one from our designated name-draw-er and one from Grandma.

We’d have the one at Grandpa’s house, too. Sometimes we’d go there after Christmas Eve with Grandma. Sometimes it was Christmas Day. There were lots of people and Christmas music and adult punch and kids’ punch.

And my dad’s cousin always had a party, too. A huge Italian family and all of their friends stuffed into their house in Buena Park, California. That was Christmas Eve, too. Wow! Christmas Eve was busy, I guess. They always had tons of pizelles and different cookies. And one time, they served caviar, and my mom didn’t know until it was too late. She found out too late. We still talk about that.

I still get excited when I get ready to go to a Christmas party. I love making the memories. Hanging out with people around special decor and food and music. Talking old times and making new ones. It’s one of my favorite parts of Christmas.

Do you have a favorite part of the Christmas season?