Christmas Eve with The Darlingtons

(my apologies but this is less of a poem but more of a tale of love and triumph)

 

Over the years, Christmas Eve with our family has evolved and only gotten better with the addition of new

family members; spouses or significant others and best of all babies!!  We went from hosting the festivities

in a living room barely bigger than a White Castle bathroom to our beautiful five bedroom old Victorian style

home.  Three years into enjoying our new setting, with enough room for kids to run and adults to mingle, Covid hit.

The separation has been devastating. Cousins have missed an afternoon full of games and stories and running

up the front staircase and down the back one again and again laughing till they had to stop to catch their

collective breaths.  Siblings and their spouses shared pictures and stories and laughter even Santa would envy.

Speaking of Santa, the festivities would not be complete without the traditional white elephant or dirty Santa game.

At the Darlington Christmas bash, dirty Santa has that extra component of the returning gift that no one wishes to

get stuck with……..the infamous horse head mask.  There is a story there but that’s for another time, another platform.

This gift and the story behind it is legendary.    All of this plus food, gifts and so much love.

 

This year we will do whatever it takes to come together again as a family.  The hurt was real, but love always wins.

Only 183 more days!