Mike's Christmas Traditions

I've been thinking a lot about Christmas with Mike, remembering details as the big day gets closer and closer.  Below is a little list of Mike's go-to Christmas traditions:

DJ Mike-  Mike was always the one to start the Christmas music.  Over the years, he's bought CDs from Starbucks and Indigo (hooked while 'studying'), and downloaded classics from iTunes.  Mike's most recent addition to our collection was Raffi's Christmas.  That one has had a lot of mileage so far this year.  The favourite is 'We fish you a hairy Christ-moose and a hippo New Year!"  I'm sure that would have made Mike squeegee-laugh like a 5-year old I know.

'Nog'-  Mike even had a nickname for egg nog, which was simply 'nog'.  He found that hilarious.  In French, it's 'lait de poule', which he always remarked on.   Is it 'nog' or 'Chicken nog?'

We Three Kings- Our family always has Christmas crackers, which comes with the crown, joke, and little toy.  Catherine is the best at finding the ones with the high-end present.  Mike would often be recruited to read the French joke.  He always sported his crown longer than me, even though his big head would usually rip the tissue crown.

Parties- Mike loved to get dressed up for Christmas parties in his 'finery' (his words, not mine).

Christmas Cake- Mike is one of the few people I know who actually liked Christmas cake-- light, dark, nuts, no-nuts, loads of candied fruit or just raisins... you name it, he'd eat it.  He would even buy it at the grocery store, leading up to Christmas.  I wouldn't usually look twice at those brick-cakes.  But, it grew on me over the years and now I do actually like it (or to borrow from Dr. Seuss:  'Say, I DO like Christmas cake...).  Shortbread was also a huge weakness, which was aided and abetted by Shortbread Queen Catherine.

Gifts- Mike was constantly updating his gift-list, most recently on his handy iPhone  (which now seem to be everywhere).  He was great with ideas and always very generous.  However, he had a hard time hiding gifts-- I would inevitably stumble upon the unwrapped gift or find a tell-tale receipt left lying around.  But, surprises are great, even if you do find them a little too early!

Stuffin' the Stocking- Mike always encouraged Santa to stuff the stockings until overflowing.  He simply liked the aesthetic of the gifts piling out over the top of the stocking trim-- isn't that the classic look in all of the storybooks?  Mike's stocking is knitted, so it's very stretchyyyyyyyy.  That means when Santa stuffed his stocking at our house, the oranges at the bottom would stretch the toe way down and make it difficult to get that over-stuffed, super decadent look-- though Santa did try!

'The Night Before Christmas'-  Reading this classic story with Lucas and Emily was something Mike did often leading up to Christmas, but importantly, on Christmas Eve after leaving treats for Santa and the reindeer, after diving into new Christmas PJs, and after writing a letter to Santa.  When Lucas was 2, Lucas could recite most of the story word for word (just like his Daddy).

The Low Down-  Mike had mastered the art of 'getting low', which was sliding lower and lower on a couch, eventually becoming fully supine (ideally, followed by sleep).  Over Christmas, Mike was known to do this on my parents' green couch and also get as low as possible in the Nault's blue chairs.  This process usually started with a coffee and Globe & Mail read (Sports, then Style), possibly a House & Home magazine.  Empty mug and folded paper on the floor meant Mike had yet again claimed victory.   A sleeping Mike meant a perfect target for Lucas to pounce (pictured above- post-nap--thanks to Lucas-- on the green couch).  On the 20th, by Mom posted a photo of Mike in the early stages of this wind-down process-- sitting fairly upright, blanket tucked around his legs, with coffee and paper in hand.  That is a great picture.  But don't be fooled.  He was soon to be sinking low and indulging in a mid-afternoon doze, perhaps after strategically re-locating to the beloved green couch.