Christmas is a big thing in our home. We celebrate the day by mom working herself to death. Training for this event usually starts in July every year. Six months of preparation that lead up to one glorious day. It’s nearly like a wedding, just better,I swear.
This year we had cause for huge celebrations. Keagen and Hannah emigrated in July 2022, and Briony in November 2022. Christmas 2022 was a sad affair. Mom & Pop sat at home, the kids all spread over the globe. We all put on a brave face and FaceTimed each other, but the celebrations were hollow. Lots of tears were spilled, and this is one Christmas I do not even want to remember. Apparently, Keagen woke up the day after Christmas, looked at Hannah, and said, “I am going home for Christmas next year…” These words were all the motivation Mama needed. Preparation for Christmas 2023 started immediately, even though much of it was still in my head.
I washed, scrubbed, cleaned, painted, repaired and made decor changes. I hired a carpet cleaning machine, fought with the pipes and wheels that wouldn’t comply with basic standards of decency and do what they had to do. I visited the hardware shops, found screws and things I didn’t know existed just to bring them home and find they were too long or too short for the job. I learned a lot. My bathroom flooded and we had to strip it. I cried and fought with Christopher and in return he just quietly took it in his stride, never retaliating except for doing something silly to make me laugh. I just wanted everything perfect but life was testing me…
I baked 27 Christmas cakes, some were orders others were gifts. All these cakes needed to be iced and decorated so this was done early morning or late at night. I decorated our street, the house and the farm. The local shopping centre asked me to decorate a tree in honor of 50 Shades of Spay and somewhere I found time for that, dragging my friend Tersia and poor Lennie with.. At some stage I felt I was not progressing at all and I was just putting out fires but in the end it all came together like a well-planned function, to give us all a fantastical, magical experience. Everything I envisaged became a reality.
Our Christmas started when Briony arrived on the 9th of December. The flight was due to arrive at 8:30 am, but we were at the airport at 7:30. The Wildes early? Unheard of…Our housekeeper, Asimenye, had never been to an airport before and wanted to come with, so we all piled into the Goanywherevehicle and set off with great excitement. Dad was a passenger, and he could spend the entire journey complaining about the state of my car. Needless to say it was a trying trip.
Upon arrival at the airport, we took Asimenye to the viewing deck, and she had her first look at the huge birds coming and going at a very busy OR Tambo. We watched the Lufthansa flight land and then made our way to the arrivals lounge. There is just something magic about being in a place where there is so much joy bouncing around. Flights were full of SAFFAS arriving home, family, and friends waiting to welcome them. There were scenes of laughter and tears of joy, lots of hugging and kissing, and even men wiping away a few tears while standing with their hands balled in their pockets trying to look composed but not succeeding. Asimenye, Christopher, and I craned our necks to catch a first glimpse of Briony, and when she came through those doors… I lie awake at night and relive that memory. It is a priceless feeling of joy that will keep me company on the lonely evenings long after she has gone back. This feeling of holding your child in your arms can never diminish over time. It is timeless and priceless. It is a gift that keeps on giving.
We took Briony and Asimenye for a traditional Mugg & Bean breakfast, our waitress by the name of Julia was an absolute gem. She brought smiles to our tearstained cheeks and added magic to our family reunion. I have to mention the people that make the extra effort in the hospitality industry, especially when it is in a place where it is so crowded and busy. These small moments add to the entire experience, and Julia deserves a place in our story. She will probably never know what her sunny personality added to a very happy family moment, but if ever you go to Mugg & Bean at OR Tambo, find Julia. the floor manager. She is just fabulous.
The next few days just blurred by. We had tickets to go see the Nutcracker at Monte Casino the next day. As usual, the Wilde family played the late card and for our sins we had to sit in the back of the theatre until intermission. There were lots of giggles as the chairs were so upright that there was no way Christopher could pull his usual party trick and take 40 winks. Dad suffered through the ballet performance with the usual quips about men in tights, but it was a fun day out.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before Keagen & Hannah’s arrival Briony & I learnt how to work with power tools. Things were heating up in the bathroom with the plumber and his workmen traipsing dirt all over my clean carpets and Aboo lifting his leg on my clean upholstery of the couch in the sunroom. The groomers were here when he looked me in the eye and peed all over the couch. I immediately let out a war cry and chased him around the dining room table, screaming obscenities at him, while the little groomer stood in the door, mouth agape and in shock. I don’t think she had ever witnessed such a display of displeasure. Nobody was harmed except for the groomer and my vocal cords. I like to think Aboo thinks twice about lifting his leg at that particular spot; I have a sneaky suspicion it is still open season all over the house, but I haven’t caught him in the act since then.
We set off early on Friday morning, Dad once again riding shotgun in the Goanywherevehicle. His clucking of his tongue in annoyance at the state of my car now going unheeded as too much moaning finally desensitises a person. I had stopped counting the days since I had seen my son as it just made me sad but I now it was well over 500. Nothing could quell my joy, not even Grumpy and his disrespect for my car.
The usual panic at what lane to pick and where to park played itself out but we finally found ourselves in the arrivals hall for round 2. Once again I saw all the moms and grannies welcome their kids home and I sommer started crying there.
Christopher suggested we go have a coffee as we were early (twice in our lives now, it was becoming a thing) and I agreed as I thought it would give my heart and tears a rest. We know that between landing and the passengers coming through the doors at arrivals there is usually a long wait. With this in mind, I agreed to the coffee, but for some reason, I kept feeling uneasy and hurried the family through their warm beverages. The waiter was tardy with the account, and it felt like time was standing still. I couldn’t wait anymore and told Christopher I was going to the arrivals hall; he could join me after he paid the slow waiter. It was like something was propelling me to arrivals…
The instincts of a mother…never underestimate the voice that calls within you because we had hardly set foot in the arrivals area when I looked and looked again… even as I write this I am crying…I saw him first. The beautiful man towering above the crowd, eyes searching for his family and little Hannah beside him. Our eyes locked over all the people’s heads and I felt my feet find purpose whilst my heart and soul moved me forward. I hold that first hug deep in my heart and I unearth it when I miss him most. Of all the good things that happened to me in 2023 the hugs from my children are my dearest and fondest memories. Treasured forever.
I have said it before and I will say it again. The arrivals lounge at the airport, especially over the festive season, is a hub of happiness. If you believe in the power of osmosis, then that is the place to be. Such happiness, laughter, tears of joy, hugs, and the feeling of family. It ranks right up there with the Christmas season in my books.
I love Christmas. I love the feeling of joy, unity, and the celebration of togetherness. It is not meant to be spent alone; it is family time. I love the festive feeling; I do my best to share that with the community, people around me, and most of all, my family. I hope the traditions of the Wilde clan live on long after our departure from this earth. May our children’s children celebrate with their families this special time in December. Christmas is not meant to be spent alone. Christopher and I had a taste of that in 2022, and if anything, it has made us appreciate our family so much more.
The next chapter will share our family festivities and the fun we had leading up to the big day. This blog is keeping the memories alive. One of my 2023 best things achieved is writing all of this down. Memories captured in words painting pictures for eternity. I am just loving it.
