It’s a Christmas Miracle #4

Olaf Narrates:

Here we are in year six (now four installments) of the great Christmas Miracle. It all began with installment one in 2015. Installment two covered 2016 and 2017, and Installment three was for 2018 and 2019. Now back to a year at a time…we can only hope that Jomomma can keep up. Installment four is 2020 and the time of COVID. I am afraid that she had a very hard time putting this last year into some sort of perspective. It was so very different this time around and the miracle is definitely in the eye of the beholder. I am hoping that I can get an updated photo in 2021.

For those of you who are new to this series, I would suggest that you go back to the beginning and attempt a little catch up. I think we all need that historical and emotional context in order to understand and appreciate this installment. One need only to go into the blog tab at the top of the page and select the Flyte of Fancy tab. The installments are all listed there…with dates and everything!

The last few years have been a struggle as the family is growing and shrinking at the same time. Some of the loss is just life…the grandkids grow up and they are not so tied to the traditions that Jomomma so fiercely protects. They have jobs and other things that find their way to the top of the dance cards. The oldest, Janet, picked up and moved to Hawaii…then this year the college student left behind, Ian, decided to follow her there, just the week before Christmas.

There was the year of the (divorce) which meant that one of the staunchest supporters of our Christmas Eve tradition went away. Twenty years is a long time to be connected and then cut loose. We all weathered the first couple years without her, who shall not be named, but still missed.

Then came COVID. No big gatherings. The Flagstaff crew stayed home….the first time in over a decade that they did not Christmas in Tucson. Could not have the friends and the lonely stragglers that usually make it to this house on that special evening either.

The couch with the grandkids all squished together as they have all grown so much over the last few years, was empty with only William. Myun Rong, the grand dog, was there too…he joined us last year when he immigrated from Korea.

So, it was a bit more of a low key evening…well, as low key as it can be with William and Greg in attendance. We still had our “White Elephant” exchange and Greg, Jomomma, Jeremy and William had a riotous trivia contest! Brett, head of the Flagstaff family, set up a group Facetime call with all of the family including Janet and the Hawaii team. There were some nice touches.

AND…William pushed my button more than once and all SIX of the humans enjoyed my musical performance! Rememeberances of Christmas Past! Time to loan my voice to Miranda…she always has some pearls of wisdom to bestow!

Miranda Speaks:

Where to start? It was a strange season during the year of COVID. There was no anticipation. No decorating party, no helping with the taking down and no sense of wonder. AND yet, Christmas Eve happened–family gathered (in person and online)—there was a good meal, presents, games! Rags (Jomomma), Jeremy, Greg and William played a fierce game of trivia…the white elephant exchange was heated and funny. Another year and we were one…it was a small gathering but a loving one.

Jomomma was not so eager to decorate and less motivated to tear down. So much changed that year. People were going back to work and there were a few celebrations but limited…very limited. We were all very much into being thankful for our good fortune and health. The evening went very well…Jeremy partnered with Jomomma to put away all the food, load up the dishwasher and clean up the kitchen and dining room. Jomomma was so thankful for the company and the help…she hates to go to bed knowing that the mess is waiting for her in the morning.

Christmas Day brought a whole new level of emotion to Jomomma…Her sister Toni passed away in the night. It changed forever the way she would feel about Christmas. Her family has a propensity for being born and dying on holidays and birthdays…sort of narcissistic and yet practical…hard to forget the event when it is tied to another…sort of dramatic! Because of COVID, the memorial for Toni was postponed to the summer…to happen on her birthday of course! So, no real closure at the time. Jomomma or Rags as I call her when being nostalgic, was reluctant to put the ornaments away. It seemed to me she was not up for sweet memeories this year… just a burden with an overwhelming sense of loss.

I can’t imagine how the next Christmas Eve celebration will feel. Hopefully, the pandemic will not impact the 2021 season as before. I will let Olaf finish…

Olaf narrates:

Thanks to William and the grand dog…there was some fun and noise! While the evening was somewhat subdued, there were moments. This year of COVID has dampened our spirits in many respects, however, the family managed to have their moments. The Christmas Miracle, as always, is that there is grace for the moment and memories that last a lifetime.