Christmas in KC

Oh, I DID have myself a Merry KC Christmas. In spite of the chapped lips, dry skin, nippy nose and toes…

I went to St. Joe and saw my beloved profe and long lost buddy for some Mexican food time and charlando time. Chips, salsa, gossip, Christmas lights, Castilla’s crazy driving.

I went to the Plaza and had dinner and went ice skating with my brothers and Caitlin for youthful playtime and festive get togethers. Manicotti, wine, scarves, games, dogs, hot cocoa.

Amanda came over and chilled several times at the house, we went shopping and drank coffee, it felt like old times. Thrift stores, coffee cups, HTLAG.

Baking, baking baking. Gingereep cookies – 1:2 ratio of casareep to molasses. Muddy Buddies with Tony. Peanut butter kiss cookies as we listened to R. Kelly’s first 12 episodes of “Trapped in the Closet.” Chocolate covered pretzels, a special request of Dad’s. Cranberry nut bread and biscotti.

Hung out with Tricia at her house, for dinner, movies and chill time. Wrapping paper, boxes, bows; chicken wings, French fries, sparkling cider; snoring on Trish’s couch.

Going to Crown Center with Dad to shop. Downtown Kansas City, middle school carolers and bell ringers, shopping for a Santa, shopping for a hat, D.O.V.E. center for girls, hummus and pita bread, lazy talks with Dad.

Dinners with the family - tostadas, Dad’s birthday dinner, Christmas dinner, chile rellenos at Nana and Papa’s, Christmas with the Kilgores, Brazilian at Vince and Andressa’s. Tostadas, beer, Spanish rice, egg nog, rum, fusball; steak, beans, salad, baked potato, pineapple upside down cake, Crown Royal, forro; bacon bagles, tamales, enchiladas, apple crisp, rum, Uncle Joe, Gina, Michael, grandma; chile relleno, sopa de fideo, Dos XX, chocolate pie; all the finger foods you could think of; beans and rice, roast chicken, guava cheese, avocado shake, forro, three little girls.

The Family Stone, Little Women, How the Grinch Stole Christmas; “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “Jingle Bells,” “Feliz Navidad.”

Gingerbread lattes and the smell of pine and cinnamon in the air. Those one red plants – what are those called?

All this and more made my Christmas a Merry one, though I sadly realized something – try as I may, it will never be like it was when I was a kid. Even in the couple years before I left home, I remember the zest in which I tried to hold alive Christmas traditions, only to find that too much time had passed, people moved on or grew/changed.

However - there’s something about Christmas that makes me feel like a kid even more than normal; it’s something that didn’t decrease with age and reasoning for me. You don’t need Santa to believe in the Spirit of Christmas, though he certainly is a good embodiment of it. You just need love, rejuvenation and a spirit of joyful giving/celebrating. Awareness of the Reason doesn’t hurt, either.

So that’s my challenge to all of us out there, whether we be from Kansas City or Yups, from Missouri or Region 9, from the US or from Guyana – always remember to find The Reason for the Christmas season and embrace it, delight in it. Find YOUR reason for enjoying the season, whether it be baking, singing, gift-giving/receiving, family, parties, etc. and share it!

Here’s to all the past, present and future Christmases – may they always be so Merry.