FREE ESSAY ON FAMILY CHRISTMAS

FAMILY CHRISTMAS

A Family Christmas
I was very nervous because my tiny townhouse was full of hungry people, people with
very different personalities, backgrounds and families who were now brought together as
one
family, my family. They were all counting on me to present them with a feast that was
just as
appealing to the eye as it was to the pallet. I did not think that I would make it
through this!
My mother and her husband, they had only been living with me since they moved down to
be closer to me, seemed to be everywhere I turned. My Mother and I fought the whole day
over
how to cook things. Of course being a Mom, she thought she knew best, but this was my
dinner
and my turn to cook my way. 
My mother in law who had cooked for me on several occasions including holidays, was
observing, almost like she was waiting for me to make a mistake. I like this gray
haired,
somewhat slouched but spry elderly lady. She tried very hard to cook great meals and I
have had
much worse, but I began to understand why my husband like my cooking better. He
rediscovered
dishes like chicken 'n' dumplings, stuffed peppers, and country fried steak, only to make
sure he
stated, "Please don't tell my Mom that I ate that!" Now I wondered if she would secretly
talk
about what a bad cook I was.
My sister-in-law, who was also named Debbie, was cute, nice, slim and smart, she arrived
with her Mom. Although very different from her brother, they shared a close but yet
distant
relationship. I always wondered if she even liked me.
My husbands best friend/ex-partner, showed up eventually. He usually showed up late
and was always in a hurry. He was in he early fifties bachelor, and thought of himself
as
somewhat of a ladies man. He was a smooth talking retired police officer who loved his
toys so
much he had to work full time as an off duty police officer , plus his pension to pay for
them. I
think that he also used the uniform as a babe magnet. I also think that my Mom was taken
with
his sometimes perverted quick wit. I had no doubt that he would enjoy my food. 
My daughter, who was 12, was enjoying this day full of loving family and friends, but
did
not enjoy the spat between my Mother and I. This was the first time we had a real family
Christmas with a Daddy, Mom, Sisters, Two grandmas, Grandpa, Aunt, and honorary Uncle.
She
loved my cooking and could hardly wait for me to be done. 
My two step daughters,12 and 14, were only with us for half of the day, really seemed to
like my daughter and me, but at the same time fighting the jealousy of us having their
father all the
time. I only hope they would eat!
My husband and I had been married in January of that same year, so this was our first
Christmas as a blended family. I was so worried about making sure everyone else was happy
that
I was not enjoying it myself. I was embarrassed by the mismatched dishes that were
displayed on
our table, opened two sets of matching china from my mother in law later! We all sat down
and
did the traditional prayer and then made the normal music of spoons scraping bowls,
drinks being
poured and voices asking for things, almost like a well orchestrated chorus. They were
eating! 
More importantly they were having seconds! I did it! I only hoped that no one would watch
my
step-father , a backwoods Alabama boy, eat. It was really embarrassing!
After dinner came the best part, the distribution of the presents! There were so many
gifts
under the tree! Every gift was picked out with great emotion and love for each person.
My
Mother was always generous at Christmas since I grew up Jehovah's Witness and only
started
participating this way for a few years. 
There was so much love and happiness in my house that day, what a shame that it is gone.

My marriage died 6 months later when my husband moved in with his girlfriend, my mom died
an
excruciating death 17 months later, and I no longer see or speak to my step-daughters. I
do not
think that I can ever recreate that day. It is a day that forever will be the best
Christmas I ever
had! The true meaning of holidays; love and family.