The Christmas Story (without tongues sticking to frozen poles)

I am assuming this when I say that most of my friends look back on their first holiday memories with smiles on their faces. I know that people are frantically running around trying to perfect the holiday celebrations. (Some even fear they might ruin Christmas. Take it from me, I have ruined Christmas before and it's not a walk in the park.) Sadly, a few of mine were filled with frustration and angst. These feelings have nothing to do with gifts, the weather, or not embracing the Christmas spirit. They had to do with awful traditions that my sisters created that singled me out and forced me not to be able to celebrate Christmas in the ways they did. For some reason I was different. Maybe it was because I got up at 5am rearing to go--or unlike Kyleigh, I didn't look in every possible nook and cranny for our gifts--and then shout who was receiving what. (Ky was a spoiler-but she has come a long way) The reindeer could fly, Santa could travel worldwide...and I had a mystical power too. I was unaware that I was given the biggest holiday power of all--I had the ability to ruin Christmas. No, I wasn't a green monster and I didn't go by the name Grinch. I was just a happy little kid excited for Christmas morning.

The climax of this story begins while I am in bed on Christmas Eve. I was probably around 6,7,8 (c'mon family--help me out??) and I was listening to Kyleigh and Courtney chuckle in Ky's room. I knew they were playing late night games or something as equally exciting to me. They were making noise and I knew I could tip toe in there without my parents knowing I was up. Years prior Courtney got to sleep in Kyleigh's room on Christmas Eve. This was a huge deal because my parents knew that whenever any of us would sleep in Kyleigh's bed we were rowdy and were up until the wee hours of the night..aka 11:45 for kids. We made up games, cast shadows on the wall, played "look-a-round" (our own version of Where's Waldo, only with objects in Kyleigh's room), and basically could not have a better time.

This was before we had TVs, stereos, or phones in our rooms. It was just good old fun. Well, "This Christmas Eve is going to be different," I told myself as I was cradeling my bear Lucky in my arms while in bed. I was determined to be incluced this year. I felt I was old enough to be a part of their tradition--a hard feat the youngest of three to try to overcome. It was me against them--or at least until I could join them. What were these traditions discriminated against poor little me, you ask? Well, as I stated before, Christmas Eve was a holiday spent between Courtney and Kyleigh while I lay alone in my bed. (Seriously Mom & Dad--all I can ask is why?? A part of me understands because I soon learned how ruthless and serious Courtney was about these traditions.) Christmas morning I was discluded too. I was not allowed to go downstairs without waking up Kyleigh and Courtney first, which I understand...so we could run downstairs all look at the wrapped presents. But this ended up working against me. After my wake up calls, I was told to wait at the top of the stairs. Usually we had Christmas in the family room, which was out of sight from the stairs. I was told to wait at the top, like a little pet, until I was called for. Courtney and Kyleigh would race downstairs and sprint into the family room. I would hear their screams and shreiks of laughter. I could hear them rummaging through things and making comments about the presents everywhere and I would try to imagine what their words meant. That's all I had. My wild imagination until they called for me. It seemed like hours until I would hear, "Whitney you can come down!" I raced downstairs and would run into the family room trying to mentally digest all the presents under the tree. Ky and Court would kinda give me a look like, "Yeah, we saw everything before you." Like it was my fault that I wasn't down there with them. Then we would go wake up my parents and open up all the presents together.

I guess there was a secret conduct that I betrayed when I decided I was going to control my Christmas fate that year. As I lay in bed, I wanted to belong. I wanted to have fun and not be included with the tradition or 5 minutes behind. I lept out of bed and ran into Kyleigh's room. I was going to belong. No one was going to stop me. Immediately when I walked in I was shunned. I don't really remember Kyleigh doing much of it because Courtney was the ringleader. She called the shots and Ky had the good of the stick, so why would she cause a fuss? I was on my own and I was not going to lose. This year was going to be different I told myself. Courtney started yelling at me and told me that I was ruining a tradition and I needed to just go to my bed. Kyleigh and her had to sleep together. I started to cry because I realized I was losing ground. I couldn't change this tradition. I was not supposed to be included. My parents started to hear all the ruckus and mom my came down the hall. At this point I had no idea what she would say. My sisters told me I wasn't included and in my little world I could see my mom saying, "Whitney, it is tradition. Go to your bed." But it wasn't! I had someone who understood me and finally a whistle was being blown on Ky and Court! Muhaha. I knew I was gaining more power and as I remember, Ky gave up pretty easy. She invited me with open arms, but Courtney held on to the tradition. My mom said that I had to be included this year. I was actually joining the big sleepover! I couldn't help but smirk knowing that no matter what Courtney said, she wasn't going to change the outcome this year. I was no longer under her rule. I vividly remember Courtney screaming at me, "I can't believe you are doing this...if you are in, then I am out." Like I was the plague coming to infect them all. She continued to be frustrated and I think we all shed tears. Courtney was losing her power, I was ruining traditions, and Kyleigh cried whenever anyone fought. None of this really mattered because I was joining the sleepover. I would never forget the moment after Courtney realized it was over. She turned to me with hate-filled eyes and said, "I can't believe you ruined Christmas." I think I tried to retract my plea to join the sleepover because I didnt want to ruin Christmas. But she said it was over, I already did it. I ruined Christmas and everyone hated me. Courtney stomped off to her room and I looked at Ky. I knew I ruined Christmas and that became the year everything changed.

I could run downstairs with everyone and I was considered and equal, but for a while I had to live with the fact that I truly ruined Christmas. Everyone (aka my sisters) was mad at me, but I am glad that now this is one of our funniest stories. Who knows what would happen if I didn't barge into the infamous sleepover? Would Ky and Court still stay up all night without me? Would I be waiting at the top of the stairs until they called my name? I guess we will never know. After I got over Courtney's harsh words and realized that I can't ruin Christmas, I thought of myself as a trailblazer of sorts. I went against the grain and sought justice. Courtney was mad at me for a long time, but we got over it. We have a new tradition now. We celebrate as a family, the way it should be...Christmas can never be ruined if we are all together. While together, we have laughter and a funny Christmas tradition story share.