In Ukraine, we didn’t celebrate Christmas as much (which falls on January 6th in Orthodox religion) as we celebrated the New Year. There was always a huge freshly cut Christmas tree lit up a few days before the New Year’s Eve and we, kids, helped decorated it with beautiful glass decorations. There was no plastic back then. Ever since then, the tree decorations have special place in my heart. They are memories that last forever. The guitar me and Alex bought for our first Christmas together, the gingerbread house I bought while pregnant with my first son, the puzzle Christmas tree my son made in kindergarten. It all matters and creates memories.
As my kids were born in Canada and are rapidly growing up here, so did this wonderful holiday grew up on me. We celebrate it in a full swing these days (I would say me more passionately than Alex) with attending Christmas train, baking cookies for Santa and listening to Christmas songs. We don’t drink eggnog though because I wasn’t able to find a clean eating approved one. Oh well, no Bailey’s either…
This year I also got sucked into Pinterest and made a few crafts with a total cost of $7 for a mini glue gun and a few packages of glue sticks. I made a few cone trees with cereal boxes, spray painted Ikea wicker balls and the pine cones me and my youngest one collected. I took the old ugly wreath apart and made my own to match the blue, silver and gold scheme of Christmas colours in my house. Although, that is quickly changing as Alex is shopping without me for new stuff and kids hang up their new creations every year. Whatever, that’s what I call memories and I will cherish them forever! Although memories are a little bit sad around this time of the year as I think of dear people who are not with us anymore or cannot be to share this holiday. They are in my heart anyways…
This year we will be celebrating Christmas Eve with friends who live nearby. Then the Christmas morning home with our boys opening presents, then putting stretchy pants on and walking 2 doors down to our dear friends for a crazy Italian Christmas dinner. I think we will be rolling back home.
What I want to say is no matter where you are and who is with you, have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!! If you are on a couch watching TV and drinking beer, at work, with your family, without your family, working out – it doesn’t matter – Merry Christmas! Enjoy the moment, relax and be happy. All we really need is health, the rest we can find, make or buy.
Merry Christmas!
Olena, Alex, Kyle and Adam
