If you were my neighbor, tomorrow morning at 3 am you would see my family pulling out of our garage. Yes, that’s right, we would be heading out of town for Grand Rapids, Michigan. We will be spending the Christmas holiday with my parents.
It’s a thirteen or fourteen hour drive to Grand Rapids from here. When I tell people about the planned expedition for my little family, some folks look at me like I’m absolutely nuts. I do realize that most people like to be in their own home for Christmas morning. But I consider myself a Christmas Vagabond. Let me explain.
Growing up most families have Christmas traditions. For us, our family had a consistent tradition. We traveled. We left our home, wherever it was, and went to be with family for the holiday. I have very few memories of Christmas morning at home because we weren’t at home.
Now, before you begin to decorate for the pity party I should tell you I do not feel bad about this at all. In fact I embraced it. The anticipation of loading up the car and heading out was unbelievable. And it only increased as we got closer to the destination. Yes – even as a child I loved to travel at the holidays .
I remember one particular Christmas we made the trek from London Ontario all the way to Ottumwa Iowa for Christmas Day. In case you aren’t well traveled in the Midwestern part of the continent, it is a long way from London to Ottumwa. We drove the first leg of our trip and stayed over night in a hotel on Christmas Eve. For some people this would be unbearable, horrible, rotten; it would be almost as bad as the Hoo’s Christmas in Hooville when the Grinch stole their Christmas. But we didn’t feel that way. We hung our stockings from the shower curtain rod. It was quite an adventure. My sister and I remember it even to this day.
There is an important piece of information. We never lived near family – except for about five years from when I was 6 until I was almost 12. And even then, my mom’s family was in Canada – and my dad’s extended family was still in the states – in Iowa. We moved a lot when I was a child, so I wasn’t truly attached to whatever house we were living in at the time. It made it very easy to pack up for Christmas and head out.
At this point, I now live with my husband and children in a town that is pretty far away from most of my relatives. When I head out to spend time in Grand Rapids – the place itself has little or no significance except it is where my parents live. I don’t have special memories of the place from my childhood. But I love to go.
As an adult I now understand something very important. Home for me has nothing to do with a place. Home has everything to do with people. On the holidays I long to feel the warmth, not from my own bed, or from the glow in my fireplace. No, I long to feel the warmth of love from friends and family. I look forward to feeling its embrace like a snuggly blanket .
Twenty four hours from now, we’ll be pretty close to our destination, far, far away from our house. And still, I’ll be home for the holidays!
And now, I’d better finish up packing – its 12 hours until our departure!
Merry Christmas!
md
(written December 17, 2009)
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