I looked at Jynx and told her I felt like I was in the movie a Christmas Story. Our Christmas this year was wonderful filled with all the wonder and magic of the holiday season. We decided that with our crazy schedule, we were not going to put up as many decorations as we have in the past, although we still could not help ourselves and put up quite a bit.
The first part of a Christmas Story came, when we headed to the Museum of Science and Industry. No we did not go to see the Christmas trees from around the world, although we saw a few as we raced around the museum from train display to train display. Grandma Ruth came with and enjoyed watching Little Man’s excitement at the trains; she bought him a toy of the Zephyr. He would take the silver toy train and race it along the floor, just like Randy from a Christmas Story did with his toy.
We then took a night and went Downtown with Baley and her mom and dad. First we headed to Navy Pier for their Christmas wonderland. The kids had a great time running around on the inflatables and the rides. They had a train that would run around the big Christmas tree and of course Little Man had to ride. From Navy Pier we headed down to State Street for the Kris Kringle Market and to look at the windows at Macy’s. I know that was Miracle on 34th Street, not A Christmas Story. We went into Macy’s and followed the signs up to Santa’s Toyland that was just their toy section. Little Man noticed a toy train set and his eyes locked right on it and he just stared and grinned. He was dropping a hint bigger than Ralphie and his Red Rider B.B. Gun. We saw the tree at Macy’s; (although I still feel its Marshal Fields) Little Man looked but was not all that interested in the tree. We then braved the cold at the Kris Kringle Market. The kids had a great time and Little Man slept all the way home.
Little Man got to meet the Big Man, aka Santa, three times this year. Little Man still was not crazy about him but at least it was not the crying fit we had last year. The first meeting was after the Johnson Cookie Exchange; Santa was a bit late but made the effort and arrived to find Baley and Little Man still there. After teaching Little Man that Santa says Ho Ho Ho and hearing him say it, I was very excited by this first meeting. Little Man would look at Santa but made sure to keep his distance and when Santa did catch up with him Little Man showed him a growling face. Santa did give him a tow truck and later when you asked where he got the tow truck he said “Ho Ho”. The second meeting was at Santa’s house, Mimi and Auntie Jea Jea brought him to see Santa and almost the same reaction. He tolerated Santa but was happy to get away. Mimi gave him a pin to hand to Santa but after taking two steps towards Santa he thought it was better just to throw the pin, then walk all the way to Santa. The last meeting was on Christmas Day when Santa actually came over to drop off some gifts and the reception was warmer but he was still not feeling the whole Santa thing. I’m sure next year will be different.
Just days before Christmas we found ourselves at one of our favorite Chinese Restaurants. Little Man is a good eater and will eat almost everything including guacamole, he actually loves guacamole. Occasionally Little Man will not start to eat right away and to get him to eat Jynx will ask who is mommy’s puppy and he gives out a little bark and starts eating. Once again, like the movie A Christmas Story, where the mom asks who is mommies little piggy? Now thankfully he eats well off the fork and not like in the movie where the kid shoves his face in the food. As we finished up our meal the owner stopped by and in her Chinese accent asked what our holiday plans were. She then went on to tell us how she was planning on going to Chinatown and having goose at a friend’s restaurant. The scene at the end of A Christmas Story popped into my head FA RA RA RA.
Christmas Eve we headed to Uncle Brett’s house for Christmas with the Johnson family. After that we headed to Grandpa Jim and Grandma Rosie’s house to pick up the train play table they got him. We placed it in the back of the van without him noticing. Then it was off to church for the candlelight service. Little Man was in rare form and all wound up at church, I even noticed the minister chuckling a few times. When it came time for Silent Night he began trying to blow out the candles. I have never laughed so hard during Silent Night.
Christmas morning came and Little Man was able to open his stocking that Santa had hung on his bedroom door. A tradition, I remember as a kid. We were allowed to open our stockings when we got up, but not wake mom and dad until the sun came up. We had to wake Little Man up early and he looked through his stocking and fell in love with a little toy engine. We then headed over to Grandma Ruth and Grandpa Rick’s house. There he opened up his ride, a Lightning McQueen car that took us a bit to assemble but once together, he took it outside for a ride. I think he thought he was going to drive it home until mom chased him down the street and turned him around. He then brought the car back and parked it right next to our van. We then headed home and started preparing for the crowd that soon would be arriving at our house. The turkey was frying and the house was filling up and things were extremely crazy. Little Man was opening up his gifts when who should appear but Santa with a few more gifts for Little Man. After Santa left we distracted Little Man while we brought in his train table and quickly covered it with a sheet and a bow. When he got back into the room he quickly removed the sheet and his eyes lit up. He has been busy with all the trains and train tracks ever since.
At the end of Christmas day I think we were all exhausted but it was a wonderful exhaustion. I sat there looked over all the toys and wondered where they were all going to go. The front room was a complete mess, the kitchen was filled with leftovers and dirty pots and pans, it was a wonderful Christmas mess. All I could think of at that point in time was the words of Andy Rooney, “One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don't clean it up too quickly."
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