Monthly Archives: December 2016

Year in review

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What a weird year.

It’s so hard to sum up the 366 days that made up 2016. Mass shootings, hate crimes, wars, refugees, a hate-filled election, deaths of great artists. The end of the year retrospectives the news compiled seemed overwhelming to think that all these things happened in one calendar year.

In our own home there were highs and lows too. For me it was figuring out what I wanted to do next career wise and then beginning at BCT. For Aidan it was preparing for the ISEE and taking the test. For Brendan it was a number of shows and going to his first auditions in New York. And for Chris is was months frustration and recovery after a concussion. As a family we made the most of time together and have thousands of pictures of this year’s adventures.

We lost friends and loved ones this year. Other friends welcomed new babies. We celebrated countless weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and important occasions. There is never enough time for celebrating and for sharing time with people you love. Every year we resolve to do more of it.

I’ll look back on 2016 with mixed emotions- some happy and some sad. I hope 2017 brings more love and more happy memories. The world could certainly use more love.

Christmas Traditions

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Traditions are a funny thing. All of a sudden the kids are 11 and 9 years old and traditions are more than just the things I think we should do. They are now little things that the kids recall year to year that mean more than the “big stuff.”

I consider seeing Santa and getting our annual picture taken a tradition. For the kids it’s going to Unos after the picture that they remember. The visits to the Enchanted Village, seeing Christmas lights, making cookies and decorating are all traditions and things we try to do each year. But it’s when we decorate the tree and have to watch Christmas Eve on Sesame Street that always makes me smile.  It’s from 1978- Elmo isn’t even on it! But we did it years ago, so it matters. New Christmas pajamas matter. Writing a letter to Santa and then reading Santa’s response Christmas morning matters. And of course the Church on Christmas Eve, dinner upstairs, breakfast up the street and opening gifts. They love the ornaments- each year getting a new one (or two or three) and remembering the stories of ornaments from years past.

And of course our Christmas card. It’s own tradition.

I love this time of year and can’t believe how many holidays we have celebrated as a family. Some traditions we were intentional about starting. But the ones that seem to be remembered- the little ones, the important ones- are the ones the kids remember and cherish. And hearing about those are the ones I love.

The Velveteen Rabbit

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In 2013 we went to see The Velveteen Rabbit at Boston Children’s Theatre. The adaptation was written by BCT’s Artistic Director Burgess Clark and has become an annual BCT holiday tradition. Brendan had wanted to audition since seeing the show but conflicts with his 4th Church shows always conflicted. This year he decided that he wanted to audition for the role of The Boy. And he got the part.

Because it’s an annual tradition, Brendan can tell you who of his older BCT friends (and other kids he doesn’t know) were in past year’s productions. The year we saw the show Samil played the boy. Brendan was thrilled to find out Samil would be one of the puppeteers in this year’s show. Opening weekend another part “Boy” was also in the audience- and she just finished up a Broadway run in School of Rock (Bren may have freaked out a little bit when he saw her!).

The show was beautifully done and Brendan was terrific (biased mom and all). It was so awesome to see audiences react. It was especially sweet to see young kids at the school performances react. The cast and crew were wonderful and we can’t think of a better way to get into the holiday spirit.

The cast had a Secret Santa swap and funny enough Samil had Brendan. He painted him beautiful little canvases of some of characters in the show. They will now be part of our holiday decorations. Such sweet memories.

“Real isn’t how you are made,’ said the Skin Horse. ‘It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.’

‘Does it hurt?’ asked the Rabbit.

‘Sometimes,’ said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. ‘When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.’

‘Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,’ he asked, ‘or bit by bit?’

‘It doesn’t happen all at once,’ said the Skin Horse. ‘You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”