Tis' the season of shopping, decorating, eating enough chocolate to last for an entire year. A season of celebration, seeing old friends and family and the ever so popular school Christmas program.
Sitting on bleachers is not something my husband and I look forward to, but we did our grandparently duty and headed for the school gymnasium. The two oldest grandsons decided to join us. They are in junior high, much too cool to be in a Christmas program. It was time for the two youngest grandchildren, Ms. Sassafrass and her older brother, to carry on this tradition.
Like most programs, the ones you go to see perform are either the very first group, or the last. Sassafrass' class was not only first, she was the leader and of course, looked lovely in her fur trimmed green holiday dress.
We had taken a seat about mid section of the gym and two rows from the top......where all the heat goes. I scanned the crowd. Funny, people do not dress up anymore. Ms. Sassafrass was also scanning the crowd, possibly getting a little stage fright looking at a sea of unknown faces. She spotted her Papa and me. I'm sure that had nothing to do with the bright red sleeve of my shirt waving at her. Her face lit up and she waved. When it was time for her to play the bells, she made sure we were watching.
Her brother's turn came a few classes later. He is seven now and looked quite dapper in his shirt and tie. That was a good thing, he never sang a note. I think he may have mouthed a word or two, but he was there under duress. At least he did not have his arms crossed tightly across his chest and his mad face on, maturity is growing on him.
During each performance, many parents came to the center of the gym to take pictures and videos of their children. We looked at this group and noticed grandson #2 was right in the middle of the photographers. He and his older brother had decided to sit on the other side of the gym, across from us, with Sassafrass' parents.
This young man is 10 years old. He sat among the parents, armed with a cell phone, and took pictures. He must have decided it was the best seat in the house because he stayed there for the duration, taking pictures. He has had much training, watching his mother with her sideline photography business.
He is also a true chip off of his father's block. Every year when the Christmas season begins, they have two rituals.....watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and going together to find a tree....a live tree. The latter of these tasks was concluded last week. The tree, as usual, was enormous and when they got home with it, grandson #2 stated that he did not think it would fit through the door. His father cautioned him to "stand back" and as he rammed the tree and himself into the open doorway, grandson #2 said, "It's a beaut' Clark!"
Tis' the season. Enjoy, have fun, go to the programs, put up a decoration or two and spend time making some memories.
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