Christmas with the Cranes

Mood: Vegetative
Music: Bryan Culbertson's "It's on Tonight"

This Christmas was one of the best Christmas celebrations I can remember. Since Christmas fell on Sunday, my parents, sister, Kyle, and I all met at church for morning worship. My mother had the idea of dressing up somewhat formally for the worship celebration. Her reasoning was that if we dressed up to go to an elegant concert performance of Handel's Messiah, why couldn't we dress up to worship the King? I agreed. So, once we arrived at Mom & Dad's house, we were actually able to take a nice family photo around the Christmas tree while looking good. (Most Christmases, we are snapping photos while in pjs with messy hair and a total lack of makeup--quite scary!) In this first photo, we look somewhat dignified and civilized, what many families strive for during the holidays (think picture-perfect family gatherings, perfect turkeys dressed with cranberry sauces, etc.).

However, dignity is not something that lasts very long in the Crane household, and my family is all the more enjoyable for it. Granted, my family is a little strange, but we laugh so much together that our sides always hurt at the end and we definitely burn off any calories consumed during the holiday feast. The second photo is a rather mild representation of our version of "Hear no evil, See no evil, Speak no evil," albeit a little out of order (and yes, those are Victoria's Secret bags on our laps...for those who are wondering, Dad borrowed Mom's present for the photo op). But the insanity did not stop there. Kyle, poor mortified soul, received a gag gift from my mother that made any vestiges of dignity disappear instantly. Allow me to explain. We all have common catch phrases that we find ourselves repeating in our various conversations with others. For instance, some of my favorites are "That's Hot!" (in a mocking/sarcastic tone) and "Thank you, Captain Obvious." For reasons yet unbeknownst to me, Kyle has the tendency to use the phrase, "I laughed so hard I almost wet myself!" My mother caught wind of this phrase usage and purchased him a package of Depends undergarments for Christmas. Poor Kyle was so embarrassed! But it didn't stop there. My father insisted that we all don a pair of Depends over our clothing and take a family photo. I have elected not to include that picture in this post to protect the innocent. (Email me if you REALLY want to see the picture--it's pretty hilarious.)

Needless to say, it was a rather unorthodox celebration by many people's standards, but we all had a most enjoyable time. I am a strong supporter of etiquette and propriety, but I also appreciate the zany humor of my family. I guess I don't understand individuals who, while able to laugh and make jokes, are uptight to the point that they never allow themselves to be truly crazy. It makes me wonder what's going on beneath the surface and if they know what they're missing. Here's hoping that you also had a wonderful Christmas and that you enjoy a safe and healthy New Year!