Pace was around for Christmas last year but he was still a baby and though that was special too, this year, with him now an active, alert toddler of 19 months, is so much different.
Of course he doesn't fully “get it” yet but he does know that some dude in a red suit is showing up all over the place, that this (slightly scary) guy says “Ho ho” or “Ho hoooooooo” (but not “ho ho ho”) and that all of his (Pace's, not Santa's) grandparents are here at his house which always means a good time.
It was great fun to set out his presents tonight and see the whole deal from the parent's point of view – putting the kid to bed then putting out that one special Santa gift that doesn't come wrapped (a big truck trailer with three cars on it), stuffing the stocking, etc.
We're having Christmas on the 27th this year because Shea's mom was scheduled to work the 25th and 26th (I'm used to this as my mom is a nurse so Christmas each year was at a different time – sometimes Christmas Eve, sometimes Christmas morning, sometimes Christmas Day eve – depending on mom's schedule) but Pace did get to open one present on the 25th – a Mr. Potato Head – and I've had fun going all Salvador Dali with it the past couple days.
So tomorrow's the big day and I don't think I've looked forward to a Christmas more in a long time. Oh, that reminds me – I was going to write about one of my favourite recent Christmases. One year when we were in Calgary, Shea was scheduled to work Christmas Day (a recurring theme in my life apparently!) so I just spent the day at home, alone (as opposed to the classic Christmas film “Home Alone”) in joyful, slothful bliss.
I did have to keep getting up off the couch to answer phone calls from family members back in Saskatchewan who had me on suicide watch, thinking I was crazy to want to spend the day alone (I turned down invites from all family members and friends in Calgary to spend the day with them as well which I think ramped up the suicide watch.) But it was a great day – sleep in late in a bed I had all to myself, go out for a big, long walk in a near-deserted city early in the day, stop at the Mac's convenience store for a drink and a visit with the guy working there, go home and eat a delicious Christmas dinner of microwave pizza pockets and potato chips then veg out in front of the TV all day.
Speaking of favourites, I've tried to watch “Love Actually”, my own personal Christmas film four times this holiday season, always unsuccessfully. I tried three nights ago but was tired so shut it off twenty minutes in to come to bed. Then I suggested it a couple nights ago but Shea wanted to watch a newer film that she hadn't seen five years in a row – imagine! Last night, I did convince the assembled family to watch it with me…then the copy I got from the library crapped out halfway through! (Damn libraries! And damn me – why do I never buy a copy of the only film I know I'm going to watch for sure once a year? I've bought other DVD's that haven't left their cases yet!)
Which brought us to tonight when the film was showing on “W – The Women's channel”. I flipped it on subtly in the background but with the visiting and the eating and the drinking and the general merriment, I was only able to watch parts of it, and all without sound.
So I doubt I'll get the full movie watched (at least in order and in one sitting) this year. But here's the trailer in case you haven't seen the film…
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