Christmas Celebrations

     It is going to be a very busy month, show, Christmas, wedding and home to Cape Breton for three weeks. Hunny got us tickets to see Shen Yun at the NAC, an early Christmas gift. We have Orchestra seating. The colors were amazing and the show was good. But I did not realize the seating was in long rows, so we had to shuffle past others who were already seated. We did not realize it was a barrier-free establishment, the things you have to learn the hard way.  Another thing with MSA, is that it is hard to shuffle.

     


     My friend has been taking me to do a lot of my shopping and to get my hair dyed and outfit for the wedding. What would I do without friends like her? I am so thankful she is in my life. Especially now, I know I can depend on her and she only lives three kilometers away.

     

     Now that all the prep work was done it was time to celebrate. Usually, we have everyone over Christmas Eve.  I awoke early because I was so hot, so I went to change. This unusual because one of the symptoms of MSA is I do not sweat. This makes it easy to over heat. I got up to change and had a big fall, I bent the nails all the way back on me left hand trying to break my fall. Nothing broke though, just my left hip was bruised and my left arm swell just about had it. My Husband was at work so I did not have to tell anyone until after the event.  Another symptom of MSA, is loss of balance.

      

     Since my sisters and their families were here, that would make 21 of us. My sister from Toronto decided to surprise us and came as well. We had a huge family here in Ottawa now. We played a game where you have to bring a wrapped gift, which usually has a certain dollar value we all agree to. You place the wrapped gift under the tree and then when everyone has placed his or her gift under the tree you pick a number. The number you choose determines the order you pick a gift. Now, the person who picks 1 can pick a gift, the person who gets 2 can take 1's gift or choose a gift under the tree and then 1 has to pick another and so on until all the gifts are gone it can be a lot of fun if someone has enough guts to steal. After the gifts, we eat and have some laughs.  Everyone was great,the family prepared lots of food. One of my sisters and her huband arrived with lots of homemade squares, so we would not have to worry about that, My other sister brought a homemade Santa to add to the decorations. Then everyone goes home and gets ready for Santa.

   Another tradition I got from my mother is that we all received flannel PJ’s Christmas Eve. My mother always laid them in a row on the back of the couch. So we always get PJ’s at Christmas for the family. Well, about seven years ago with work, and everything else I ran out of time to get myself PJ’s but bought just for the kids and dad. So, that Christmas Eve I put them on the couch (a bit earlier than usual) and my kids said, "where are yours?" I told them I had lots so I will just grab a pair I already have. Then I went out to prepare for the evening, the kids said they were going out and would be back. Just before the guests arrived the kids called me in the room to look at something, here they had gone to mall to get me some PJ’s and they laid them on the back of the couch with theirs. This I will always remember, their thoughtfulness. So, each year now, I get the three PJ’s and the children get me a pair.  So, this year when everyone left, we did the clean up and I opened my PJ's they are teal and have Merry Christmoose on them. The kids and my Hunny took their PJ’s off the back of the couch and will be back early in the morning with them on for breakfast and gifts. Merry Christmas!