#christmas memory

Full:

An Ant-Man Christmas story:

So one of my favorite random Christmas memories was when Cassie was like 10, I think. It was Christmas Eve, and we had a Christmas radio station playing in the background, and the Trans Siberian Orchestra started playing that one song that’s so popular I don’t remember what it’s called but you know the one.

Cassie and I love that song, and we stop what we’re doing and we just rock out, dude. I’m telling ya, the air guitar game was strong. Not just the air guitar, the air orchestra game was strong. Whatever instrument was playing, we rocked it.

We put on a great show honestly; it’s a shame no one recorded it. Just as the song is playing its last note, Cassie threw the rock on hand sign in the air and shouted, “Rock on, Christmas!!” And then we high fived while everyone else who was there to witness it cheered.

Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24! That’s the one. Yeah yeah yeah, this is the one I’m talking about.

Oh yeah. Warning! Video has flashing lights so watch at your own risk if that bothers you.

How does Santa get into homes with no chimney? That question is answered with the wisdom of a very young child in this, my latest Christmas Memory!

Interestingly, I have two grandsons with a birthday just before Christmas: Nicodemus (Dec. 19) and Jordon (Dec. 12). I believe the year was 2007; the occasion was Jordon's third birthday, and I was playing Santa Claus for the little fellow's party.

We had the cake and ice cream, and then I slipped into the bathroom to get dressed. Then I emerged as Santa Claus to the cheers of the children and adults alike.

I helped give out Jordon's birthday presents, and then each of the children (and more than a few of the adults) got to sit on Santa's lap and tell Santa what he or she wanted for Christmas. Then when it was all finished, I waved goodbye with a "HO HO HO!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!" to everyone. They all replied, "Bye, Santa! Merry Christmas!" as I went back into the bathroom to get dressed again in my street clothes.

Later on, I think it was Jordon's mother Deanna who asked him if he knew how Santa got into their home. My grandson told her that, since Santa came in from the bathroom and left the same way, he figured Santa must have come up the toilet to get in, and then left that way as well.

I wasn’t looking forward to the upcoming holiday. I had absolutely no money. This would be the first Christmas in twenty‑three years that I couldn’t provide gifts for my children. It gutted me. Every year, no matter how tight things were, I’d always managed to pull together a good Christmas — presents, a nice meal, time together as a family. But this year, after everything that had happened, I…