Happy 100th birthday, Grandpa!
I’m taking a bit of a detour from normal for today’s post. It’s something more personal, but I think still relevant given tomorrow is Christmas Eve.
Today would have been my grandpa’s 100th birthday. He passed away a number of years ago. Although there are many times throughout the year I wish I could talk to him one more time, Christmas is especially hard. Between his birthday being the 23rd and all the memories of Christmases spent with my grandparents, it’s hard not to miss him
Rather than focus on the loss, a feeling many of us experience this time of year as we remember loved ones no longer with us, I want to focus on the fun. The majority of my Christmases growing up were spent in Brighton, Colorado (near Denver), but my family spent a lot of time with my grandparents beyond the holidays..
Every visit, there were certain activities that we always did. Visiting the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and the zoo were two favorites. But one memory of my grandpa around Christmas wasn’t about Christmas at all. We celebrated his birthday – December 23 – the same way every year.
Grandpa was diabetic, so he had to be careful with what he ate, especially sugar. My grandma was ever watchful, making sure he didn’t sneak any candy during the holidays (which was no small task given Grandpa’s love of all things chocolate). But on his birthday, she allowed him one splurge – eggnog.
Each December 23, my brother and I would gather in the kitchen as my grandma poured three glasses of eggnog. But the drink wasn’t complete without a dash or two of nutmeg. Or three for my grandpa.
Even though Grandpa has been gone for many years and my brother and I are adults, we still celebrate Grandpa’s birthday with a glass of eggnog sprinkled with nutmeg.
SIMPLE GIFTS
Drinking a glass of eggnog with my grandpa was a simple gesture, something that lasted only a few minutes. But it’s something that I will never forget. We all have stories like this about someone we’ve lost. There are many simple things that a person does that add up to the collection of memories we have about that person.
The question is: How will people remember you? When your children or friends think about you, will they remember their time with you as a series of expensive gifts and text messages? Or will they remember laughs shared over a board game and stories told in front of a cozy fire?
As you go through this holiday season, I challenge you to spend more time focusing the simple gifts of being surrounded by family and friends instead of worrying about that perfect gift. Or for those who, like me, will spend Christmas alone, focus on the simple gift of memories of eggnog.
What are your favorite Christmas memories? Is there a special tradition (either Christmas or otherwise) that you still observe because of a cherished family member?
Cheers, Grandpa.
UP NEXT: I will be taking the coming week or so off from blogging to focus on finishing the first draft of my novel. I only have a few chapters left to write, and I am determined to get them finished before the end of the year. With that, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and great start to 2016!
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