This is a favourite photo of my mother, my twin brother Gary Wride and I at our second Christmas. Mom was expecting our brother Wayne Wride in this photo (who was born the next month, on her birthday – January 14th).
I miss Gary, Mom and Dad a lot at Christmas time. They loved the season so … Dad would make his “Christmas Expectations List” with Sears and Canadian Tire catalogue numbers and prices, Gary would search for the perfect gift for everyone (as well as one for himself), and Mom would cook our Christmas dinner to eat around 3 in the afternoon. Never was sure why she chose that time – maybe her mother Mémère did the same. She loved to have her family home at Christmas, and it was not Christmas unless she had them all.
Gary died in August 1993, and Dad a few weeks later in October. For years, until her death in March 2009, my family took care of Mom each Christmas – and every other day that she needed us. Mom would come to our house for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner with extended family and friends who were able to come. Christmas morning she would attend my in-laws Ron and Lorna Pennington’s Christmas stocking and breakfast tradition. After breakfast, we would take Mom to wherever she wanted to go for Christmas dinner. Sometimes it would be to Wayne’s house, but more often to Dale’s.
Christmas 2008, after her stroke, we went to Mom’s hospital room for our Christmas dinner – Scott, Chris, Mary, Stephanie and I. It was hard when Mom was gone, because we no longer knew what to do on Christmas day.
We’ve tried hard the last few years to make some new traditions. We still have our Christmas Eve dinner. We still go to Ron’s place Christmas morning. The first Christmas (2009) after Mom died, Steph came home to make sure we were ok, and we made as fun a day as possible. Steph had us to her new house with Josh and his parents last year, and this year we are headed to Jacqui’s. We remember the past, enjoy the present – but often I admit that all I want for Christmas is my wonderful Christmas people – Mom, Dad and Gary …
Here is a layout I made using Making Memories Sabrina line, and kraft paper to capture how I miss them all at times:
Anne Pennington
Inspiration came from the sketch over at Once Upon a Sketch, where the theme is “it’s December” and from the Kraft it Up where they want to “see a layout about what you want for Christmas” ,,,
Meanwhile – over at Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge … we have TWO challenges as usual this month – one is to scrap a generation picture, and the other is to use this month’s lovely sketch to make a layout. Come join us regularly – you will love us!!!
Anne Pennington 