It's the day after Christmas 2014 and to honest, I'm very nostalgic ... you might be too as you read this. As much as I (we, you) may try to suppress the past it comes rushing back during holidays.
Parents and Grandparents who are no longer with us, children who have grown and are now on their own, friends who we've lost touch with.
For me, one of the best memories of Christmas past was the box of Queen Anne Artificially Flavored Cordial Cherries that I carefully wrapped and proudly handed to my Step-Father each Christmas morning until the last year of his life.
Christmas music would be playing on the stereo, the smell of coffee and sticky buns and the sound of ripping wrapping paper filled the air.
The last or nearly the last present was mine for him. It was under the tree but I wanted to give it to him. He'd take the box, this box which was the exact size and made the same sound when he shook it each year and he carefully open it ... and smile this huge smile and look up at me and say how much he loved them.
By this point in the year we were all so jacked up on sugar from the cookies and cakes and soda that he wouldn't touch those cherries for about a week. But one night as we watched a TV show together he would open them and we'd each have one. Those things were so sweet that I just wondered why he liked them so much.
This brings us to today .. well actually a tradition which started about 10 years ago and the Poppycock
Poppycock is an wonderful mix of popcorn and nuts and it is so sweet ... it is also the gift that I get each Christmas. Some years my Daughter gives it to me and others my Son does it.
I realized this year, that it's the tradition that matters more than the product. It keeps us grounded and in the moment .. that moment when it was yesterday.
I wonder how many of you share in this tradition ? I know that it sounds trite.
But I also know that I am so looking forward to next Christmas and that same sized package that makes that same sound when I shake it.
