Joys of Christmas
My nephews gave me an “I love you to the moon and back” necklace! No other words necessary.
The Trombone...
I missed Spencer and Cooper’s birthdays and being what the Italian mail system is, I just decided to bring birthday presents at Christmas. When I asked Cooper on November 14th what he wanted, he aptly said, “I think I would like a trombone!”
“Aaaaaaa, ooookay, I will see what I can do.” Which to him, the boy who hasn’t had 3 decades with me yet, believes his Aunt Rebecca will find a way.
December 1st rolled around and …
Tracey: Just so you know, Cooper said, ‘Aunt Rebecca is buying me a TROMBONE! Thought I should give you heads up. Ha ha!
Me: FUUUUCCCCCK, I was sure he would forget about it. Where on Earth am I going to find a trombone!? And how much do they cost, anyway?
E B A Y to the rescue…
Me: (to everyone who would listen to me Italy) How much can I bid for this thing? I have to win it right? I mean, I all but promised him a trombone, I might have even been heard saying over skype to my whole family, when he said he wanted a trombone, “Trombone, really good choice, Coop… I think I am still a little mad at Grandma because she wouldn’t let me play it when I was in fourth grade.” In which Cooper responded, “Yeah, my mom probably won’t let me play either.” Only to hear Tracey in the background screaming, “Cooper Klumpp, you can play any instrument you want.” And my mom, “I don’t remember you ever wanting to play the trombone.
Amy (probably after telling me my stories are a little long winded): Just win IT!
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The Christmas Play was started in 2005, when Spencer was old enough to learn lines and young enough not to think of it as being ridiculous and the rest of the family, still on a high from having Grandchildren were willing to play along in the spirit of youth. I had visions of Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy. I started with his favorite Christmas movie, which in 2005 was “The Santa Clause”. We planned the script and designed the costumes. I watched his disappointed face when he realized we would not be performing the entire movie.
“Spence, we aren’t going to do the entire movie. You know, we are going to make it our own!” I said as we headed on a prop run.
Spencer stopped, “Aunt Becca, I have the PERFECT IDEA!” he said his small eyes bulging, the disappointment disappating in the December chill, “We can add in a WAR!”
Well, a war was not added, but the tradition was.
“Who is the audience for this?’ Amy asked one day. The answer is usually ‘we hardly have one’. A couple of people, my Aunt Sue, Chip, when he absolutely refuses to act in it are the audience. My Dad usually drinks more than his share of vodka to quell the nerves and creates a Santa that is quite unforgettable.
The delayed travel, made this years Christmas Play difficult. I found myself on a skype date with my nephews on December 22nd, as we argued plot. Cooper made it very clear his mother was not to be Rudolf. The fact that we had made her every year wear Maggie’s dog jingle bell collar, was unacceptable and quite frankly according to him, mean. Spencer and I said, “Yes perhaps, but also VERY FUNNY!”
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Cooper also wanted to be both Santa and an elf and demanded dance numbers for each. Spencer and I wondered if he was over extending himself, recalling his performance as the troll where he actually bit the Christmas billy goats in the legs as they crossed the bridge. We agreed that Tracey would be an Elf and I would don the dog collar. My Mom wrote the list of supplies needed and we were ready. We decided we would perform the Sunday after Christmas when the Johnsons came to celebrate the holidays. It appeared for the first time ever we would have an audience (Bonnie, Alan, Grandpa, Heather, Ron, Trenton, Kloden, Jody, Zoe, Cole, Mary). John even donned a snowman apron and joined in the fun.
The plot: Santa’s head elf goes to an Inter-Milan game the week before Christmas and gets stuck in the airport and can’t make it to help pack the sleigh for Christmas. Santa goes to rescue “Pete” and while he is gone the elves make Santa a special present (ipod docking station) for his sleigh, so he can rock around the world, like Cooper rocks around the tree. (Notice the addition of the possible dance number? Rockin Around the Christmas Tree)
Christmas Travels
Christmas 2009
Cast
Pete (the world traveling Elf)…………………….. Spencer
Santa……………………………………………… Brent
Mrs. Claus ……………………………………….. Grandma
Snowman ………………………………………… John
Elves ……………………………………………... Tracey, Cameron, Cooper, Abby, Atreya
Narrator…………………………………………… Riley
Rudolf……………………………………………… Rebecca
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