Christmas - What happened to the family tradition?

Christmas - What happened to the family tradition?

Inspired by Walter's parents, being adopted and abandoned

By: Michelle Cleveland

You may be having fun this Holiday season. Christmas may be ending for some and some may still be celebrating the season of other Holidays such as Channukah and so forth.

When Christmas comes to mind, I think of spending time with family and friends around the Christmas tree or perhaps, receiving a phone call from a loved one that cannot make it this year.

I've noticed though sometimes, some individuals never receive a phone call from out-of-state relatives for the Holiday season. What happened to respect for family during the season? How could someone possibly forget their family?

You may be miles and miles away from a blood or non-blood relative, but why not call and wish them a Merry Christmas, a Happy Channukah, or whichever Holiday portrays for that loved one?

I have relatives in my family that are not distinct blood line, but I've still in respect, took the time to call and wish them a Merry Christmas. It makes me feel good, knowing that I've made their day a better one, and perhaps, letting them know once again that I love them.

As my man and I were sitting around the Christmas tree, it made me feel good receiving a phone call from my sister and nieces, even though they couldn't make it due to weather conditions and being far away.

I waited and waited eagerly, after half the day had passed, feeling like there was one thing missing on this Holiday season and I was right. I just sat there with silence. Where was the phone call from Walter's family?

I went over to my mother:

"Mom, Walter's mom and dad hasn't called yet? Do you think they will call?"

We all sat there. Another family member nudged in:

"Just give it some time, Michelle."

I sat there teary eyed.

"No, I don't think they will call. They probably won't. They never emailed Walter and I about the baby, so no, I don't think they care. They never cared to email us about the child, what convinces me they will call? We will wait and see, but it doesn't look like they care from my perspective."

All family had dead silence.

We waited and waited for a call from Walter's family and still, no call was received.

After helping mother prepare a big meal: ham, yams, mashed potatoes, macaroni & cheese, baked beans, stuffing, dinner rolls, and some desserts, I fixed Walter and myself a plate of food. As a family, we sat around our big long dinner table and said our prayer.

Finally dinner ended and everyone went into the living room. I was excited, but this year, not about the materialistic objects under the tree, but perhaps that I had someone of my own to love and cherish. I didn't care about any of the nicely wrapped gifts under the tree. All I cared about was family.

Everyone handed Walter some gifts, including myself, "Merry Christmas, Walter," all of us smiling. Everyone looked at name tags and passed them along to the owner of each gift. It was a joy and a lot of fun.

"Walter, open mine first!," I smiled.

Walter opened his stocking with a candy bar from his favorite movie and some other goodies. He began to smile, "Cool, Borders gift cards!"

"Yep," I smiled.

"Open the other one!," I smiled big.

He opened another box with a $50 Walmart gift card.

He smiled and there was dead silence.

"I love you," I smiled.

"I love you, too," he smiled back.

"Now, my mom wants you to open that red box last, okay, Walter!," while I smile proudly and know that's the gift Mom had been telling me about.

Everyone opened their gifts and had a smile on their face.

Walter was the last one, sitting there with dead silence, watching everyone open their gifts. I just sat and observed him and I was pretty obtimistic that we wouldn't receive a phone call from his parents.

Mom hurried and snatched her camera from the other room.

"Walter is about to open his last gift. Come in everyone and watch him!"

Embarrassment struck his face.

"Its okay Walt, go ahead," I smiled.

I looked up and smiled at Mom and winked, as in, that's the gift we had been waiting for him to open.

He began unwrapping the red Christmas wrapping paper.

As he saw what his gift was, he looked up and smiled really big and Mom got a capture of him real quick.

I look over there at his gift.

"Cool. A portable DVD player! That's better than what I got!," I smiled big while laughing.

Mom looks at me with that look.

"Well, I was just kidding Mom. I love all the gifts you bought."

Mom smiles back at me and smiles at Walt.

Mom walks over to him and gives him a hug.

"Merry Christmas, Walt. I really wanted you to know that I care about you like a son and I'm glad you and Michelle are together. I couldn't ask for more. You're a great man and I know you will be a great father."

My mom has tears in her eyes.

"Walt?!?" she has dead silence.

"Did you get some jeans in your gifts?," she has a look on her face as in puzzled.

She goes into my old bedroom and gets a pair of jeans. She hands them to Walter.

"Is that the right size?," she looks puzzled.

I look over, "Mom, that's not the right size. Its one size too big! We don't want them falling off of him!" I laugh.

Mom smiles.

"Well, he can wear a belt, he usually wears a belt?," she says.

"No, they're fine. I can wear a belt," he smiles.

"Well, they're from the mall. I hope you like them. Many men wear that brand!," she smiles.

"No, I like them. They're nice. Thanks," Walter responds.

"Yes, they're very nice. Why didn't you get me jeans, Mom?," I look at her joking.

"Well Michelle, you got girly stuff instead," she smiles, while laughing.

I hug Walter...

"I love you. Merry Christmas Walt. I hope nothing ever happens to you," I have tears in my eyes, filled with happiness.

"Just think of next year when we have Gracee opening the gifts and taking the bow off, that will be soooo cute and you and I can take pictures! She will probably have the red hair like you told me you had when little! I can't wait to see what she looks like! She should be coming any time now!," I have that excited Mother look in my eyes.

My Grandmother nudged in, "So, when is she due?"

"Well, they thought it was a boy at first, but now its been determined its a girl. Anyway, she was originally due January 31st, but she can come anytime now, since I've already had contractions, but so far they say she is almost six pounds. Can you believe that? She is going to be a big baby!," I smile.

"They think she may come out as a ten-pound baby, but since the doctor thinks this, he is taking me off the contraction medication the day after Christmas, so from there, she can come anytime. Walter and I are really excited for her to be born!," I pause.

"Well, let us know when she is born!," all the family look at us smiling.

"We will. So far we have so many baby items. We have strollers, a carseat (a new Winnie the Pooh one we bought), and its so cool. We're doing a Winnie the Pooh theme," I smile.

"Just if you buy anything for the baby shower, don't buy big items. We already bought all those from Walmart. Are you coming to the baby shower, Grandma?," I smile again.

"We are gonna have lots of cake and goodies. Mom plans on buying the cake. I don't know. She won't tell me what she's picking out yet!," I continue.

"Yes, I'm coming. When is it?," she looks at me.

"Well, I don't know yet. We been putting it off because of Gracee might be coming early, but so far, the doctor says she will be healthy and within the safe zone of delivering, so no worries on that one!," I smile.

"Walter and I can't wait till we bring her home!," I sit near Walter, cuddling with him.

"Well, I gotta get ready. It is getting late. Has Walter's parents called yet?," she asked.

"No, they haven't called," I look down in disbelief.

"Well, that's not very respectful if you ask me," she looks at me.

"No, its not respectful at all," I look down teary eyed.

"Grandma?," looking down at the floor.

"What happened to Christmas being a family tradition?," I look at her.

"Well Michelle, some people don't care about Christmas being a family tradition. All they think of it for is for the gifts and treasures and that's just the plain truth about Christmas anymore.," Grandma responds.

"Well, that's pretty sad in my view and I know next year, it will be a better one because Walter and I will have our own family. A family of our own. We're a family and we will stick together through thick and thin," I smile a big smile.

"Well, see ya later everyone!!," as people get up and leave.

I walk into the living room and plop down beside Walter.

"I can't believe Mom got you all those gifts! That was a lot of gifts you got! I think you got more than me. Wanna trade?," I laugh.

He smiles and laughs.

I hug him.

"Well, Merry Christmas. I'm sorry your parents didn't call. That's pretty selfish of them," I look down at the floor about to cry with disappointment that such a family could do such a thing.

I looked up at the Christmas tree.

"Aren't those lights so pretty?," I smile.

"Yeah, they're very mesmerized.," he has that glare on his face.

"When was the last time you had a Christmas? You look like you haven't celebrated Christmas in years by that look on your face.," while cuddling him and glancing in his eyes.

"Its been awhile.," he responds.

"That's what I thought. Jennifer had told me some things that happened around Christmas time with your parents. It didn't sound too pleasant and respectful from the way I was brought up.," looking down at the floor.

"Don't worry. Next year will be better with our own family. Gracee, you and I sitting around the tree with my mother, opening gifts, and all that. I can't wait!," I smile.

"I don't want any gifts next year.," he looks down at the floor.

"What? What do you mean, you don't want any gifts?," I look puzzled.

"Not even one?," I ask.

"No, all I want is for my baby girl to be happy. I want her to know that daddy is here for her if she needs me and that I'm not going to leave her.," he smiles.

"Well, I don't want any gifts, either. I just want Gracee to be a happy girl next Christmas. It will be her first Christmas. Oh, I just can't wait. I'm so excited! We will buy her tons of toys and gifts!," I smile big.

I begin cuddling with Walt on the couch in the living room.

"I love you Walt," I glance into his eyes and give him a kiss.

Mom comes into the living room smiling.

"Walt, want a cup of coffee?," she asks, knowing already he loves coffee.

"Make yourself at home.," she continues.

I go into the kitchen, getting Walt a cup of coffee and a soda drink from the fridge.

"Here Walt," smiling at him.

"Make yourself at home, okay? Mom doesn't care. Just take what you want and if you get hungry, I'll fix you a plate of food again. Eat all you want. Mom has plenty of food. You know how Mom spends a lot of money on groceries, you figured that one out on Thanksgiving!," I laughed.

Eventually, Walter and I went home. We never received a phone call from the number given to his family. That's why I wrote this article for friends and family to read.... Now my question is: What happened to the family tradition?

Did you go over to a family member's house to wish them a Merry Christmas, a Happy Channukah? Or simply if you weren't able to make it, did you place that last minute phone call to a loved blood or non-blood relative to wish them a Happy Holiday season?

Please let me know if I wrote this well enough, before I send it off in an email to his parents. Of course, I probably won't get an email response, but I hope this email touches someone, whether it be his parents or someone else that doesn't keep family in tune during the Holiday season.

Thanks for everyone's support, reading and commenting this article!