Different kinds of Christmas "services."
Dec. 25th, 2012 09:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
captainsblogAs I left here for the early church service yesterday, I heard sirens and shouts and saw oncoming flashing lights. Fortunately, the cries were from kids shouting "Santa!" and I knew what the rest of the fuss was about:
I don't remember this tradition from my childhood, but it's been a part of Christmas fabric around here for as long as we've lived here. All I could think, given the tragic losses to their brethren yesterday, was that this was probably the toughest Santa run they've ever had to do. Yet that IS what first responders do- they respond, even if it's only to the need of an innocent child who somehow needs to see Santa this year more than ever.
----
We had about four hours betweeen the early service and the music performance one to eat together and get our tree decorated. These, we did- the food was glorious and the tree, bright and lighty-
- but midway through the meal, it was clear something was wrong. Cameron, who'd come home with a cold, was having escalating problems with his ashtma. Quite possibly these were caused by his rooting around in all the ornament boxes that spend the other 51 weeks of the year in our moldy old cellar. He'd forgotten his inhaler, and when I offered to drive back to their apartment to get it, Emily said it didn't work anyway. So they set off to urgent care- at 6:30 on a Christmas Eve.
Even those hard working elves get that particular night off. He tried steam, outside air, a couple of round-the-house meds, and briefly considered spending Christmas Eve in an emergency department, but ultimately we decided to just try the strongest over the counter med we could find, at the Last Rite Aid at the End of the Universe which was open, for nonprescription products, 24 hours even then. Even now.
And so, instead of attending a Stillnacht musical service, I provided a real one. I drove them to the drugstore, made sure it was working once he selected one, and settled snug in our beds with visions of bronchial sugarplums all adance.
I'm sure the music was lovely. Maybe there'll be a CD of it. They plan to do it again next year. All in all, though, I don't think I missed a thing that really mattered. That's all here- and Christmas has come.
Love and happiest of Christmases to each and every one of you.
I don't remember this tradition from my childhood, but it's been a part of Christmas fabric around here for as long as we've lived here. All I could think, given the tragic losses to their brethren yesterday, was that this was probably the toughest Santa run they've ever had to do. Yet that IS what first responders do- they respond, even if it's only to the need of an innocent child who somehow needs to see Santa this year more than ever.
----
We had about four hours betweeen the early service and the music performance one to eat together and get our tree decorated. These, we did- the food was glorious and the tree, bright and lighty-
- but midway through the meal, it was clear something was wrong. Cameron, who'd come home with a cold, was having escalating problems with his ashtma. Quite possibly these were caused by his rooting around in all the ornament boxes that spend the other 51 weeks of the year in our moldy old cellar. He'd forgotten his inhaler, and when I offered to drive back to their apartment to get it, Emily said it didn't work anyway. So they set off to urgent care- at 6:30 on a Christmas Eve.
Even those hard working elves get that particular night off. He tried steam, outside air, a couple of round-the-house meds, and briefly considered spending Christmas Eve in an emergency department, but ultimately we decided to just try the strongest over the counter med we could find, at the Last Rite Aid at the End of the Universe which was open, for nonprescription products, 24 hours even then. Even now.
And so, instead of attending a Stillnacht musical service, I provided a real one. I drove them to the drugstore, made sure it was working once he selected one, and settled snug in our beds with visions of bronchial sugarplums all adance.
I'm sure the music was lovely. Maybe there'll be a CD of it. They plan to do it again next year. All in all, though, I don't think I missed a thing that really mattered. That's all here- and Christmas has come.
Love and happiest of Christmases to each and every one of you.
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Date: 2012-12-25 04:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-25 04:13 pm (UTC)But thanks, Doctor. I didn't expect you until 9 ET;)
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Date: 2012-12-25 04:43 pm (UTC)Glad he's doing better! :)