Christmas Eve Boogie: A Family, Christmastime Tradition

My family is very strong on tradition. Year after year, our holidays are conducted in the same fashion. From as far back as I can remember it has been the way that it still is today. To some, this may seem droll and boring, but not to me. I live for it.

To say my family loves Christmas would be an understatement. We are glowing when the holiday season approaches and are sad to see it go. I strongly believe that part of why we look forward to it so much is because of the traditions that we have established within our family at Christmas time.

We have one Christmas Eve tradition in particular that I absolutely love. This same tradition has been going on in my family for as long as I can remember and I hope that doesn't change for a long time. The following events that I am about to describe really do occur, no matter how silly it may sound.

On Christmas Eve, after all of the food has been consumed, dishes have been washed and various family members return from an early evening Christmas Eve mass, we all trudge down to my aunt's basement and find a seat at one of the many tables she has set up for us. There is a small, black stereo in the front of the room on a shelf full of CDs and old cassette tapes that have been around since I was a little kid.

Once the commotion has stopped and we are all sitting, the fun can begin. My aunt Virginia enters the basement and goes straight for the stereo in the front of the room. She gives a small speech, thanks us all for being a great family and after a bit of hooting and hollering from the peanut gallery that is my family, she starts the music.

The basement quickly fills up with the sounds of Christmas carols. Jingle Bells, Let It Snow, Up on the Rooftop, you name it, we play it. Once the first song is under way my aunt begins to dance. We all laugh at her, but she keeps right on dancing and enjoying the music. Dancing and dancing, she makes her way around the tables to find the unlucky soul who will have to get up and dance with her. Once a victim is found we all laugh and make fun as they dance away to the melodies.

This carries on for maybe an hour before we are released to mill around the house with cookies and candy, to watch Christmas specials on TV and enjoy the roaring fire. Some play cards, some watch TV, some tend to the fire and others nap, whatever it is that each of us decides to do we are always comfortable and at home with the family.

There is a big joke to grumble and complain about the events that take place on Christmas Eve, but the truth is, we love it. Christmas Eve just isn't quite Christmas Eve unless my aunt dances around her basement.