Christmastime is without a doubt my favorite time of year, not because of Christmas itself, but because of the atmosphere leading up to it. I've always felt this way, and I believe that is because of my grandmother. My Nanny was the same way. She loved Christmas, and went all out every year. Her house was put in the local newspaper several times because of all the lights and decorations she put up. If only they could have gone inside the house!
Anyway, there are a lot of things I did with my grandma around Christmas, and if I had been asked my favorite tradition when I was a young child, I might have said “decorating,” or “making Christmas treats,” but looking back, it is what we would do every Christmas Eve.
Christmas Eve is last-minute shopping day for the adults of my family, and the only shopping day for the kids. I would head out with my dad in the morning and shop, then go to lunch with my grandpa, and then finally, I would go with my grandma. We would shop a little, and then she would always buy some fake poinsettias. We would then travel to a tiny cemetery that seemed like an hour away back then, and I would walk with her to her father's grave.
Even as a young child, I felt the emotions in the air when we visited his grave. She never cried or showed any signs of sadness, but I could just sense how special the moment was to her. When her mother passed away in 2013, we went to visit both of them, and the atmosphere only intensified.
My grandma died in March of 2015 after a long battle with cancer. Every Christmas Eve, I buy the most beautiful poinsettias I can find, and visit her grave. It's always freezing outside, being December, but I stand for a few minutes, remembering, and then I get back in my car and head home.
My fondest tradition isn't the most fun, or the most festive. It's the one that means the most to me. One day, I hope I can take my children or grandchildren with me, and I hope they'll feel everything that I felt.