DAVE: Traditions Here & There

My childhood memories of the Christmas season are filled with huge amounts of snow, sledding down our driveway, and epic neighborhood snowball fights. Serious kid fun. So much fun you didn’t want to come in and warm up—even though your knit mittens were wet and your toes were freezing. I grew up back east. Along with all the snow fun, I remember how my mom always made the holidays special. Homemade sugar cookies, hot spiced cider and our tradition of opening presents after Christmas Eve church services (Santa always seemed to know when to stop by). And she always went all out with the decorating and preparing our family dinner.

Those traditions changed up a bit when my folks moved to southern California. I was a freshman in college when my holiday breaks became filled with sunshine and temps in the mid 60s. Each year, Mom kept up most of the traditions and even added some new “So Cal” ones like Christmas Eve eggnog in the hot tub. As the holiday seasons went by, my sisters got married, our family clan grew, I married an Oklahoma girl—and somehow ended up right in the middle.

I like to think we get the best of both of my east and west coast December weather here in Oklahoma—I just don’t know which one it will ever be. I could be outside in the sunshine for family pics and a walk at Hafer or I could be camped indoors around our fireplace with no electricity thanks to a snow and ice storm. My late wife and I enjoyed making the holidays special for our kids. And now with the kids grown and starting their own family traditions, I’m not sure what I’ll do this year.

Well, maybe I do. I’m leaning toward “warm.” So I’ll probably hedge my bet and spend Christmas with sisters and dad in California. My sisters are amazing cooks and put together a wonderful family Christmas. My mom would be happy about that. Here’s to eggnog and relaxing in the hot tub. Merry Christmas Y’all.