I'm dreaming of a...

Familiar Christmas! 

The town is lit up with Christmas lights, the markets are busy every night, and our tree and stockings decorate our house; but something is missing… it just doesn’t feel like Christmas while I’m in Klagenfurt.

I have come to the realization that Christmas just doesn’t feel like Christmas unless you are surrounded by the familiar sights, sounds, and traditions. Not being with my family is the most evident missing factor but I have compiled a list of what feels Christmasy to me:

-          Extended mall hours and crazy shoppers:  Weird isn’t it… I love to shop and when Santa sets up post in the middle of the mall I get that excited feeling that Christmas is right around the corner (they do not have mall Santa’s here).  The Christmas music playing in all the stores, the decorations, the crowds of people speed walking and in a frenzy trying to find the “perfect gift.”  What feels more Christmasy then that!?!  It is December 16 and no sign of extended mall hours here.  Can you imagine a mall only being open until 7pm Monday-Friday and closed on Sundays?  It’s really strange when I think about Yorkdale being open until 9:30pm Monday-Saturday, or better yet, 24 hour shopping!  What a luxury!

Poor Santa

Click here to listen!

-          Star 102.5fm:  It is a radio station out of Buffalo, NY that starts playing only Christmas music the last week of November (fortunately they have a strong signal and we get it in Whitby).  It feels like Christmas every time I get behind the wheel as this is my #1 setting over the holidays.  I now stream it on my computer so we have Christmas music playing here 24/7.  Jordan is not a big fan... but anything to make it feel more like Christmas around here is important!  Or at least I think so.

-          Parties: More specifically work and family parties which are one in the same.  I am sad that I cannot be there and feel as though I have missed out when I hear all the funny stories.  For the most part these are just nice dinners at great restaurants, but it is the one time of year that my whole extended family gets together to do this.  Plus, getting dressed up and going out for great food tops my list of favourite things to do.

Good food, best company

-         Christmas eve: This has been pretty routine over the years.  When we were younger, we used to have my aunt and uncle over, as well as the Neal family, and ended the night by opening one gift of choice.  My Grama Mackie always stays over and Christmas is not the same when she is not with us.  She used to take my sisters and me to the Nutcracker in downtown Toronto and we LOVED it.  It was an annual tradition.  I was just thinking how fun it would be to do that again sometime, here’s hoping that I’m home for Christmas in years to come.

The Nutcracker... Love all of the costumes

-         Christmas day: When we were young we used to get up early and wait for my parents to get up so we could open gifts.  The funniest part about this is that NO ONE in my family is an early riser and early to us, even as kids, was around 10am.  My Grama is always up before the rest of us.  My dad always video tapes us opening gifts, even to date, and then he makes a big breakfast consisting of scrambled eggs and bacon.  We lounge around the house all day while my mom and Grama prepare dinner and then Pat and Joe (my Grama’s sister and her husband) come over to celebrate.  I LOVE to watch our old Christmas videos, some of them are hilarious!  One that stands out is my sister Brooke opening gift after gift in search of the “water baby” she so desperately wanted.  She was not happy until she found it and didn't care to open any gifts after that.

-         Florida: Another weird one… but our Christmas always revolves around a family trip to Florida/Disney.  Whether we leave a few days before Christmas, or the normal routine of leaving on December 26^th, we ALWAYS go to Florida around Christmas.  My family is driving down on the 26^th and I am so sad that I will not be there.  We love our road trips and joke about driving each other “car crazy.”  Six people in one truck + all of our luggage makes for a fun ride haha.  Even Keltie is going to Florida this year!  It is her first trip and I know she will love it.  

Christmas at Disney's Boardwalk

Those are all the familiar “it feels like Christmas” points that I can think of right now.  I am sure there are more but they are the standout ones.  Last year was my first Christmas away from home and it was difficult, as expected.  Jordan and I had an amazing four days off, travelling around San Francisco, Napa Valley/Sonoma, Carmel/Monterey, and driving down the Pacific Coast Hwy back to LA.  An unbelievable trip that I HIGHLY recommend to everyone I talk to about travelling.  Although we had a tree and made a turkey dinner on Christmas day, it just didn’t feel the same.

Our tree last year

The drive

Making Xmas Dinner

I can only imagine how hard it is for parents whose kids are not home over the holidays… after all Christmas is, and always will be, about kids!  Whether ones babies are celebrating their first Christmas or their 25^th, Christmas is about being with family.  I know how difficult it is for my parents that I am away and wish I could snap my fingers, or better yet click my heels, and be home for the holidays.

The best parents in the world :)