The Family Without The Christmas Spirit

Unlike most houses everywhere, we still have no Christmas decorations in the house to this very day. In fact, we haven't done this for years. Or I haven't done this for years. I think I've stopped putting up decorations the year after my son became a pre-teen and was no longer thrilled by all the lights and colors. When I stopped doing this, no one seemed to mind the lack of decoration in the house, just as no one seemed to mind to help when I put it or clean it up afterwards. This year, the most you'll probably see anything "Christmas" in this house is through the placemats I'm planning to use on Christmas eve, and the lunch and dinner that will follow the next day.

Unlike most families everywhere, Christmas in our house is celebrated without presents that will be opened on Christmas eve. The gifts we have for each other will either be given as it is, with no wrappings or trimmings; or have been given way ahead...like back in September. This year, my son actually knows what he's getting coz he's the one who chose it. There will be no pretty packages and no surprises. I find that celebrating Christmas with my boys? Not quite the production I get when I celebrate it with girlfriends or my big extended family.

On Christmas eve, we would eat Noche Buena like most families. Only, dining at 12 midnight is something we also do on some nights when one of the boys start craving for a midnight meal. So midnight feasts? Not something out of the ordinary.

There will be no parties and there will be no partying at other houses. Visits to friends or families will be done any other day. But on Christmas day? We're having a staycation, we're pigging out and settling on the bed with our gadgets and devices. We would all be hooked up to the internet or probably watching something on TV all day, as always.  Together, but each preoccupied with doing something else.

In fact, I will be working for 10 hours the day everyone is celebrating Christmas. It is not something I decided without consulting my boys, of course. But when I told them I've been asked to render 10 hours of work on Christmas Day, both my boys said to go ahead and do it...."We're all gonna be doing the same thing we do everyday on Christmas, anyway." 

My family's lack of enthusiasm for Christmas may be really weird for others. But it's the kind of "family tradition" that works for our small unit. Reunions, the crowded-but-fun Christmas parties (that I also enjoy, just not with my boys!)? My boys would be bored by it, to be honest.

The other day, my Mom was reminding my Dad, who is going to visit our hometown for Christmas, to not forget the gifts and the treats for family back there. What my Dad said, sounding slightly miffed at the reminder given to him the nth time, is perhaps the best way to describe what Christmas is really like for us, particularly our son, the husband and I. He said, "We always give them gifts and treats and do the same 'special' stuff even when it's not Christmas anyway, so what's the difference?"