Christmas has always been my favorite time of year because of family. On the Walker side, there are forty-five of us total. Nana and pa, ten aunts and uncles, and now thirty-three cousins including spouses. There is always more food then you can possibly eat, more cookies than chocolate milk to accompany them, and if you think my laugh is bad - with the whole family we could supply energy for a small village with the noise we provide.
Every christmas memory that pops into mind has two things in common. Setting: Nana and Pa's house. In the picture above we are sitting in a small portion of the front yard. This is their house in Beaumont, Texas, that we went to every year until I was a freshman in high school. Theirs is the house to the right with the "Chester the Molester" van in the drive way. At the time my uncle Dave drove that beauty around, and had the thickest mustache a man could ask for - thus came his title as Chester. The second thing, cast: (from left to right) Becca (born in 1993), Kelsey (1989), Taylor (1990), and myself (1991). Other people play part, but they are the three cousins I have always been closest too, and thus manage to make it into everyone.
Now ever since I can remember, the four of us have always received the same general gift. It has varied from Simba stuffed animals, indoor laser tag vests, Mary-Kate and Ashley movies, and easy-bake ovens. The one Christmas I will never forget is the year we all got a Razor scooter with green wheels and a Gameboy complete with Frogger and Pokemon games.
Yes, yes, I know we look good. And I know I'm the coolest because I had a scooter pet. But seriously, we were obsessed. We missed the annual front yard football game to scoot around the neighborhood, refused to get a ride to the park to play hide-and-go-seak, but had to "drive" ourselves, and barely touched the back yard bounce house we had that year because we couldn't take our scooters inside of it. Once it got dark, and strangers and rabid dogs began to patrol the neighborhood, we would sit inside and play our gameboys. Nana and Pa have never been so good to us. Santa couldn't touch what Nana and Pa could do.
Now as we continue to grow older, the gifts have changed, and our excitement to "play" with them has withered away. Yet, our excitement to see each other and play with each other will never go away. Even now when our lives look pretty different, Kels is about to start talking about marriage, Tay is partying away at Texas Tech, and Becs is just starting her college life in Austin, we are always kept close by the bonds of family, and particularly, Christmas.
Caitlin, That sounds like a super fun christmas. I always grew up with big family holidays, and could not imagine them any other way. I also remember the year that I got my razor scooter. It was a rainy christmas morning, but I didn't care. I insisted on scooting up and down the street, (in my silk American Girl pajamas and pigtails) getting my slippers wet and I'm sure getting laughed at by the neighbors. I didn't care though. I was loving my scooter, and was so excited when my other neighborhood friends had also gotten one on that magical morning.
ReplyDeleteCaitlin, it sounds like your family is just as crazy as you are! That must be a blast! I always thought my holidays were hectic, but your's sound ridiculous. I can now see and appreciate where your love of stuffed animals, and just generally odd things, comes from! I hope you all stay close for years and years!
ReplyDeleteHey Caitlin!
ReplyDeleteI have four very close girl-cousins and we still receive the same gifts for christmas from our great-aunt. However, ours weren't awesome scooters or laser tag vests, they were hair clips and, if we were lucky, some nail polish. It's awesome how family traditions develop. Even though we haven't received the most ideal gifts, it's the thought that counts. After all, the holidays aren't about receiving gifts but spreading love. :)