Reflecting on Christmas Past - Grandparents.com

Here it is. 2008. And while I should be thinking of New Year’s resolutions, my mind keeps returning to the marvelous holiday season that just was. Christmas 2007 brought about two-thirds of our family home to us. This is especially meaningful coming just a few years after what I thought was an irrevocable decision made by my grandchildren’s parents that, from now on, my husband and I would be the ones who travel (and battle the airports) in late December, so they could begin their own traditions in their own homes.

Then for someone unknown reason (are we looking more vulnerable?) the rules changed and home they came with notes left by the chimney for Santa to deliver the goods to New York rather than the Midwest.

Complete chaos and utter joy ruled our household for over a week. And with it, I learned five things I wasn’t aware of before...

1. A high-energy level at my age means nothing when you are surrounded night and day by four little ones. I work out at a gym at least five times a week. I can get by on six hours of sleep. I can balance a hospice visit in the afternoon with a three-hour session as a volunteer at a high-security prison in the evening. But what I can’t do is continue going at full tilt when holding a crying toddler, pouring milk into a sippy cup, and trying to alleviate a 6-year-old’s frustration at not being able to decipher some words in a book he is reading. And, yes, instead of saying “Let’s order in,” I refused to give into almost complete exhaustion and decided to make my son’s favorite, beef bourguignon.

2. No does not always mean no. At least not as it did when I was raising my grandkids' parents. "No" was pretty strong and fairly non-negotiable then. It seems less so today. Often it does mean "no," but then again, it can mean "maybe" or even "yes" after a while. Or as long as begging and/or whining continues....

3. NyQuil on a carpet is really bright green. It took just one minute of getting jeans and T-shirts out of a drawer for the 3- and 6-year-olds and turning my back on the toddler. She is as swift as lightning! A bottle of NyQuil, used by my daughter the evening before and stashed high but somehow still within reach — yes, yes, I know — was uncannily opened and, as I rounded the corner, turned upside down with great glee... until she saw my face and heard my screech. Then, of course, hysteria reigned while the other three grandkids gathered around to survey the damage. For future reference in a similar situation: Absorb the icky spill quickly with about two rolls of paper towel, then douse it with about three sauce pans of cool water, absorbing the puddles with more rolls of paper towel. All the green is gone.

4. Time alone is the best time. Part of our kids' Christmas treat was going into Manhattan for two days with friends, leaving my husband and me alone with the four grandkids. Time alone for the parents and time alone with the grandkids for us. It doesn’t get any better. And despite the fact the NyQuil incident happened on my solo watch, everything else was terrific. We roasted marshmallows in the fire place, laid on our bed to watch the latest Harry Potter (and let them stay up an hour past bedtime), helped Grandpa chop wood (well, some of us did), and had endless bedtime stories and one-on-ones with my oldest granddaughter, in front of a blazing fire — and even if they didn’t exactly clean their plates, had hot-fudge sundaes for desert and hot chocolate served upon request. There was no crying, no fights, no need to repeat instructions twice. And no mediators. Pure joy!

5. Traditions are great, but so is the new technology. We waited till they all arrived to hang our “special” family ornaments on the tree. Our oldest daughter still placed her angel from her first Christmas on top and the 3-year-old tried seven spots before finally settling on the right branch for his special airplane ornament. Crème de menthe pie was Christmas Day dessert, as it has been for over 40 years, and it was gobbled down in about two minutes. The Night Before Christmas was read on Christmas Eve to all the grandchildren, this time alternating verses with the 9-year-old. Traditions abounded — but then, when we opened our gifts Christmas morning, I found a new iPod with a dock so I can listen to my songs off our stereo in the living room as well as on the elliptical machine at the gym. And my husband unwrapped a wonderfully sophisticated photo scanner. He was also given a tutorial on using iChat by my son so we can now say goodnight “in person” to the little ones even though they're 1,500 miles away (which we have already done twice since they left). I've decided there was no reason that the new technology shouldn’t become part of our old traditions.