Trares
Over the river and through the woods, to grandmother’s house we go.
This weekend kicks off the Trares family’s annual round of holiday travel. See, my family is all based in northern Ohio, while my wife’s hails from southwestern Indiana.
Christmas is an important time for both of our families, so there was no way we could skip either one. When we married, a series of new holiday traditions were born.
Foremost was figuring out scheduling. We needed to find a way to fit time in with my mom, dad and siblings, then combine that with seeing Marci’s parents a state-and-a-half away. Grandparents and other relatives also had to be considered.
I realize we’re not unique. All families navigate combining past traditions with the present when they come together. We made it work.
Of course, when Anthony was born, a new dynamic was added to the mix. Nothing beats the wonder of a young child opening presents, and everyone wanted to be part of that. We did our best to make sure they all were.
We’ll head to Ohio first, waking up at my mom’s for opening gifts in our jammies, then lounging around the house playing with our new presents (well, mostly playing with Anthony’s new presents) and snack on all of the wonderful food that my mother will have put together.
The next day, it’s off to my dad’s, with a nice evening catching up, a glass of wine or two, and more gifts.
Finally, a few days before Christmas, we’ll hit the road to see my in-laws, where we’ll hunker down for three days in a Christmas-y vortex of delicious food, mid-day naps and constant seasonal movie marathons.
Inevitably, the holidays mean a lot of time on the road. The travel can be tiring, and traffic often gets gnarly.
But that feeling of strapping into the car, the trunk loaded with shiny-wrapped gifts and Johnny Mathis or Burl Ives on the radio, brings such joy. Knowing that we’re heading towards a few days of motherly pampering, where they’ll worry we’re not getting enough to eat or that we’re too warm or too cool inside the house, soothes the soul.
We watch with happiness as Anthony digs through the presents underneath the tree, finding the ones that he’ll eventually get to open and wondering might be inside. You can’t help but smile.
There will be chances to see old friends, and stop into our old haunts for a drink.
My favorite moment is that final stretch, when we come up to the intersection directly across from my childhood home. Seeing the lights outside, and the Christmas tree in the window, makes any weariness of travel melt away.
No matter where you live in the world, you always know the place that feels like home. That is what the holidays are all about.
Ryan Trares is a senior reporter and columnist for the Daily Journal. Send comments to [email protected].
