Friday, December 04, 2009

It's A Gift, Really

Once again, I find myself in the holiday spirit, just like I was last year and in other years past. The spirit that takes me back to simpler times, times when I spread joy so effortlessly to everyone around me...

Like the one Christmas several years ago when my mother and I were visiting my sister in South Florida and we went to the mall so my sister's young son could sit on Santa's lap. It was only a few days before Christmas, so the line to visit with Santa was about as long as Tiger Woods' texting bill. (Oooh, snap!)

We figured it would be better if Grandma ran around the mall with my sister's son while my sister and I held a place in line. So, we stood and waited and chatted as we slowly moved closer to Santa, surrounded by legions of small children who were so excited by the promise of a small candy cane handed to them by a cranky alcoholic (Santa, not me) they could almost not contain themselves.

As my sister and I talked, we reminisced about Christmases past. Like the one where I walked on the linoleum kitchen floor in my new ice skates (yelled at), the one where I used my brand new hair yarn to create pom-pom animals (smacked), and the one where I received the roller skates I wanted so desperately, yet instead of the beautiful bright-white skates of my dreams, they were blue with racing stripes (disillusioned).

I believe it was at that moment that I asked her (loudly), "...and do you remember when we found out that Santa Claus wasn't real?"

And I believe it was in the excruciating moments that followed that dozens of sets of weepy toddler and glaring parent eyes all turned toward me in unison to see who it was that was ruining the magc of Christmas.

Happy Holidays, Everyone!
Brutalism

16 comments:

T1T2 said...

wow.. that was beautiful!

dilettante07 said...

Your hair is made of YARN? Jesus, it's like I don't even know you.

Marilyn said...

That is so cussed!

Brutalism said...

Marilyn - It was totally cussed up.

Tante - Pay attention much? Sheesh.

Miss M - I try.

Moooooog35 said...

SANTA'S NOT REAL?!?!?!?

Brutalism said...

Moooooog - Backdoor Santa is real. But I'm sure you already knew that.

NoShare said...

Did that get you to the head of the line faster, once all the weeping kids went home?

Brutalism said...

NoShare - Aha! You figured out my strategy.

Dilettard07 said...

If my mother is to be believed (who TF knows on that score), her next older sister required a sit-down with the nuns in 7th grade before she was disabused of belief in Santa Claus.

Of course, all things considered, hanging on to that belief was probably a wise coping mechanism.

Brutalism said...

Tard - I can see Santa being easier to believe than most of the Catholic religion. (Ooh...who'd I offend?)

Doug W said...

if that's your Strategery, warn me 1st before I take my Little Mermaid to the mall to see Santa.....or better yet, I can use it to get cuts in line yeah, that's the ticket!!!

Brutalism said...

Yay...NoShare is commenting! Something tells me we go wwwaaayyy back, NoShare.

Doug W said...

Yes, waaay back, I figured I would sign up to Blogger so could follow your blog better, I don't always see your new blog posts/updates on FB and I like reading them, cause your just as twisted as I am!
Now I just need figure out what to blog about!

Brutalism said...

Become a follower, too, NoShare! I need/want followers and always forget to ask people.

Blog what you write about on FB -- you kill me.

Doug W said...

Let me work on it....this is all happening so fast, and I want you to respect me in the morning......

Have a good night!

The Absurdist said...

You blew the lid off of the Santa conspiracy for a bunch of innocent, defenseless children.

Dammit, you non-Jews steal all of our good tricks.