The Starting Line
My wife and I
decided after our first Christmas together that we would do the same thing
again each year when it came to shopping.
Our first year together we only had one car between us and that old bird didn't make it to the next one. We had a lot of fun trying to hide packages
from each other that day. We agreed after such a romantic day filled with laughter
we had to make it our holiday tradition. We started the day of with lunch at “Old
Churned Butter” , which I was the name I gave Cracker Barrel in one of those , “ I know what
that is but I can’t think of the name but it’s something like this” moments. There
are enough of those kinds of moments around our house on weekly basis that I could
collect them into another blog post, which may or may not include translations.
The next year we followed the plan of
the inaugural event, all the way to the driveway. Since I drove I had to wait while
she took stuff inside, then it was my turn.
By Christmas 2012
Dani had her own car, though we still started the day off at Old Churned Butter;
yes, the name stuck. For the first time, we were running off in separate directions
to get our shopping done. That day’s shopping was the prelude to our now annual
race home, hoping to get presents in the house before the other one arrived.
This year, is
year 5 of our annual shopping together/apart tradition. As before, we kicked
off the day by having lunch at Old Churned Butter together. After lunch, we
decided to do something a little different, and started off our shopping in the
same store. My wife insisted she take me to Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, since
I had never been there. Yes, I am the stereotypical guy when it comes to
shopping; go to the store, know what I ‘m looking for, grab it, pay for it, and
get the hell out. I have never been one to just rattle around in a store just to
look at stuff, unless it’s a book store, and those are rapidly disappearing. This, though, was quite a place, definitely a toy store for outdoorsman.
This sign, no doubt elicits many a giggle
Another in a myriad of stuffed critters that stare at you from all over the store. He got that plaque for having a record sized head. Really.
There is plenty
of stuff to keep the kids occupied while Mom and Dad shop. There is a fish tank
that is probably 12 to 15 feet deep filled with some good size fish. Next to the
tank a waterfall cascades into a little pond, then spills into the tank; the
sound assaults you when you walk in the door.
A lot of catfish nuggets in that one.
There are also games for kids on
the main level and a shooting gallery for them in the gun section upstairs,
which was the busiest section in the store other than the cash registers. We
wandered around for a while, looking at stuff, and in an homage to the Walking
Dead’s Daryl Dixon, stopped to check out the crossbows. After the second, “what else do you want to
look at honey?’ I realized it was my queue to leave, so I headed for the
door.
Not everyone may need one of these, but....
This is a must for everyone's reading room; there is a dog or a bear if you're not partial to ducks.
Our individual
plans crossed paths again as we finished the day at the same store; my wife won
the race home to hide stuff in the house, again. After we both got settled we
realized that braving the stores had worn us out; I proceeded to fall asleep
not long after I put my feet up.
As Christmas
traditions go, ours is not typical, though we've both been working crazy call center schedules since we met and we've had Christmas day off together only once.
That is life in the salt mines of the city; you have to decide on a tradition that
works for you. We have made our own tradition for Thanksgiving also; another
holiday we've only shared once on its actual day. Holiday traditions are those
little warm fuzzies we cherish; they are as much a part of any holiday as the
reason for the holiday itself. The world
moves on, as the calendar reminds us it is always about addition, not
subtraction, as the years melt away. Time and circumstances may change some of
those traditions, as well as the players involved, but the essence remains the
same. Those moments shared become frozen in the great eternal Now. They are
called up each year as we remember those from days past, while we fully expect them
to be there again next year when the day rolls around. That’s kind of what the
season is about anyway isn't it; family, friends and fun. Cheers to Christmas traditions
no matter what form they come in.
