I grew up LOVING Christmas. I still do! There’s just something about the holiday season that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. I’m like a happy little snowflake this time of year. My husband, on the other hand, is what I like to call a grumpy elf – and he fully admits it! He’s never been a huge fan of Christmas, but I feel like I’m slowly turning him into a lover of all things festive. He might disagree, but the Christmas lights, candy canes and inflatable Santa, Frosty and Mickey Mouse on our front lawn that I had absolutely nothing to do with…tell me otherwise.
Now, most of us probably have a pretty good idea what category we fall into, but just in case you need a little clarification, here’s the breakdown;
Symptoms of a Happy Snowflake;
– Always smiling during the month of December
– Christmas tree and decorations are up by December 1st (maybe earlier!)
– Sings Christmas songs while wrapping presents
– Seriously considers wearing jingle bells
Symptoms of a Grumpy Elf;
– Any of the above symptoms make you cringe
I think the main reason I love the holiday season so much, is because my family had wonderful traditions growing up. I remember the Christmas holidays always being full of family and friends, lots of delicious food and goodies, and all of us just genuinely enjoying the season together. For my husband, he comes from a divorced family. He remembers the holidays being a bit more hectic when he was a kid. There was more bouncing around from house to house for him, and less time spent with family or enjoying his new gifts.
So, our two very different outlooks and childhood traditions have kind of shaped how we handle the holidays with our own children. We might not agree on all things Christmas, but ever since we had our boys we both agreed on one Christmas rule we refuse to break;
We will ALWAYS wake up in our own home on Christmas morning.
With our families 4 hours apart, we know there will always be travel during the holidays, but Christmas morning is NOT an option. We will always wake up in our own home.
We just want our children to have fond memories of the Christmas season. We want them to remember to magical feeling of the holidays, the relaxed atmosphere, family dropping in for drinks and snacks, time spent playing with their new toys, yummy food, and happy parents who love Christmas just as much as they do. Having children and seeing how excited they are during the holidays has definitely made my husband enjoy the holidays a little bit more. As it turns out, our boys are happy little snowflakes like their mama! So, I think it’s only a matter of time until we convert him to the merry and bright side.
What about you? Are you a happy snowflake or a grumpy elf? Somewhere in between, maybe? Like an indifferent icicle? A so-so snowman? Hmmm, I’ll work on it…
