NOTE: “Who Dey” is a Cincinnati Bengals thing. But I felt like “who dey” read on and you’ll understand!
Even though Christmas is my favorite time of year and I love and enjoy cooking and baking for this festive holiday, this year we did things differently.
Every year I bake a ton of different cookies–this year “Emma’s Goodies Sugar Cookies” were added to the mix and were a huge hit!
My daughter, Oona, has the same “Christmas Ideology” as I had when my children were growing up. As soon as the children were able to realize the concept of Santa Claus, I never left the house during this holiday. I hosted many a Christmas because I wanted Jake, Roman and Oona to relish and enjoy the gifts they received.
We always stayed home. Middle pic is Jake with Uncle Tommy (my brother). Other than toys, the kids always looked forward to new winter jackets..
…while a much-leaner version of me was constantly cleaning up and rearranging.
Jake with Santa at Macy’s. This was around 1986 when Roman was a baby.
Now that Owen realizes that Santa will visit his house, the time has come for Oona and Sam to remain put so the boys, Owen, and Bennett, enjoy the day just as she and her brothers did.
I cleared it with my job before I started in November that I would need time off (without pay) to travel to Cincinnati for Christmas. In all honesty, had they said no, I would not have taken the position.
Let me backtrack a bit before moving on.
Since we would not be home for Christmas, my husband was unusually happy that we didn’t have to get the “big tree” for the living room. That meant not arguing over which type of fir or how large it would be or the price. It also meant not having to clean random needles six months after the fact.
No big tree this past Christmas. Just the little fake one in the sun room. And now this tree is in storage until November!
However, I would not back down completely. I embellished the bannisters with lights, greenery, and ribbon. I added a few decorations and, the fake Christmas tree that stood in the sun room took on new life and additional ornaments after almost two years. (Don’t judge me on that one).
Bannisters were embellished with greenery, ribbons and then lights..
I hung wreaths on indoor doors as well as outside..
..little touches such as this Christmas tote from years ago and..
…pillows added a festive touch to the downstairs family room that nobody uses..
…and Santa is enjoying the lone club chair!
Gifts for the boys were mostly ordered from Amazon so it would be more convenient as we were driving and the car wouldn’t be loaded with gifts. We did buy a few items for the boys in Paris. Clothing. Sticker books and ornaments among other little extras.
I baked a ton of cookies. Corn cookies. Oatmeal Raisin. Nutella Cookies. Double Chocolate Cookies. Compost Cookies. And Barefoot Contessa Outrageous Brownies.
I started baking right after our Thanksgiving trip to Paris!
Organization was key and the packing of clothing was done a week ahead.
We picked Roman up at the Paoli train station as he was driving with us –with three of us driving, it would be a cinch to travel to Cincy. Roman arrived late Thursday evening, December 21st. We all got a good sleep, woke up the next day a5 5:00 AM and hit the road by six.
Everything was at the ready. Clothes. Baked Goods. Extra Christmas Gifts. We were organized!
I had my Spotify playlists at the ready. Classical for my husband for his portion of the drive and Christmas music for me and Roman and Phish for Roman as well. The great thing about heading out early in the morning for a road trip means no traffic on the road and we hit it right! EZ Pass on the dashboard, the drive went well.
Need a Christmas Album to listen to? THIS has been on my Christmas playlist the past two years. My favorite song “The Merriest” is on here and is wonderful!
We hit the PA Turnpike, and, for several hours would be on this route. The thing is, it is pretty-much a straight drive from Philly to Cincy. I hadn’t any idea how truly rural it is once you leave the Philadelphia area behind and move forward.
We saw a lot of barns.
I had no idea Pennsylvania was so…so..farmy!!
We drove through a few tunnels and over bridges.
I got bored during the drive so made artsy black and white photos. I don’t know whether this bridge was in PA or West Virginia.
We stopped only twice for gas. Once at a PA Turnpike place with restrooms (which were very clean), and nothing to eat but fast food. Thankfully, I had healthier snacks (not much healthier) in the car.
The rest stops were actually quite nice!
I think my GPS stated that the drive takes 9 hours. We made it in 7.50.
The drive with Vincent and Roman was like Talladega Nights! Vincent as Jean Girard and Roman as Ricky Bobby.
Vincent and Roman decided to do the driving and told me to just sit back and listen to the music. ………………. I wonder why.
We arrived at Oona and Sam’s in record time and it was so wonderful to see them. Especially my babies! Jake arrived from LA earlier in the morning and he and Roman were staying less than a mile away in an Air B & B while Bonne Pa and Gam-Gam stayed in the house.
Pre-Christmas fun with Owen and Bonne Pa!
As it was Friday late afternoon, we had time to relax and watch Christmas movies with the boys and had a quick dinner. Then it was more movie time and hanging around.
Saturday was a fun day. We headed into Cincinnati proper to the Christkindlemarkt at Moerlein Lager House. This is across from Great American Ball Park where the Cincinnati Reds play.
It was a blustery, gray and rainy day but it didn’t stop us from having fun!
To say we had a great time would be an understatement. Owen and Bennett were hysterically funny with their politeness to the waitstaff. Any time a server would approach the table, the boys would say “THANK YOU” at a New York City decibel level. This was both entertaining and appreciated by the staff, but I thought it was so funny. And I mean that in the best way possible.
It was there I tried a delicacy that had escaped my palate for a lifetime. Fried Pickle Slices. It was the first time both The Frenchman and I tasted them and we could not get enough. Roman informed us that the fried pickles at Moerlein were exceptional and not every place has them as good.
I’m not a fan of pickles nor am I excited about fried foods but these fried pickles were incredible!
We ran the gamut of omelettes, eggs benedict and Goetta hash. Wait! What’s that you say? You don’t know what Goetta is? I didn’t know until Oona became engaged to Sam. Goetta is a sausage of sorts made with ground pork, oats, and spices. It sounds disgusting but is quite good and is found only in Cincinnati. It goes back to the days of German settlers.
Goetta hash with eggs. It’s really quite delicious!
The morning was cold and rainy but the rain let up enough for us to stroll around the market..or “markt” as it was. We spotted the characters from the movie “Frozen”. Many vendors were opening their little stands for the day and the crowd started picking up.
It was a cold, damp day but we had a lot of fun!
Owen was a bit shy about meeting the Frozen characters but Uncle Roman went with him!
That night Oona, Sam, Jake and Roman had reservations for dinner at Sotto, a popular Italian restaurant. Vincent and I babysat for the boys. Babysitting for Owen and Bennett was the easiest babysitting gig I’ve ever had.
Someone is getting ready to give Bennett a cookie!
Naturally, Bennett started getting that thing where the one-year-olds, close their eyes, then jerk back, and open them wide. To me, that means time for bed and he went off to slumber beautifully. A changed diaper, placing him into his nightly wrap and in the crib.
After a cookie or two, Owen started getting tired-eyed. We both went into his room with him, read three books—and when he asked for a fourth, there was no arguing. Of course, that fourth book was read.
Left the night light on and he was good to go.
Oona and Sam were surprised that our bedtime ritual went so smoothly. I think they were sus because they were expecting things not to run smoothly. I have no comment.
The next day, Christmas Eve, Jake, Roman, Oona, Me, Vincent, and Owen went bowling. Well, Vincent watched. He didn’t bowl. Let me tell you though—our bowling excursion was a ton of fun.
A proud Owen with his uncles! It was a lot of fun!
Owen, having only bowled at home with a kiddie bowling kit, was mesmerized. We adults took things a bit more seriously. Toward the end of the second game, Owen was becoming a bit bored so we ended that.
The bowling alley had a ramp assist for the children.
Back at the homestead, The Frenchman and I ran to the Kroger to assist in some grocery shopping, while the Christmas Eve preparations were on hand. We all watched Christmas-themed movies before dinner, enjoyed a nice spread then the boys went to sleep with visions of sugarplums and other goodies danced in their heads.
We all took turns reading. The boys loved it and so did Gracie the Goldendoodle!
Christmas morning arrived and the boys were over-the-moon with happiness in what Santa delivered via chimney!
Lots of gifts!
Owen in his doctor gear playing with..I don’t even know what it is.
Bennett focusing on his wooden toys.
The easel we bought for the boys was very-much the hit!
This bouncy pit was a huge hit. Santa was generous with these two good boys!
Jake and Roman were busy at work assembling a Paw Patrol Tower which had Owen busy for hours—that’s after my boys were busy assembling the tower for hours!
The Urbanski brothers–focused only on building the Paw Patrol Tower, which, by the way, took a long time!
We had a great dinner which Sam cooked beef tenderloin a la sous vide.
Yum Yum! That Christmas beef cooked sous vide was the best!
Finally. A picture of Gam Gam with the boys–even if Owen’s head is slightly out of the photo!
And the next morning, Vincent, Roman and I were back on the road home. And just like that, Christmas 2023 was over and done.
Back on the road…
This time back to Philly.
Writing this, I’m still getting a bit emotional. And there’s a reason.
Despite the fun we had, despite being with my grandsons, and despite being with Oona and Sam, I felt like an outsider looking in. It’s weird. There comes a time when your kids really don’t need you anymore. It’s as though your purpose and your job are done.
There was a time when we were parent “super heros”. Now it’s best left to the grandkids to dress up like their heros–and it ain’t the grandparents!
To be perfectly frank, being a long-distance grandparent is a different ballgame. And I realize I’m being so “Boomer.” But…my grandparents lived above us during my first six years. And when we moved to Long Island, I spent every summer back in Ozone Park at my grandparents’ house—until I was in high school.
My Irish immigrant grandparents, Thomas and Margaret Wynne on their wedding day. I miss both of them.
My grandparents were such an important part of my life. I truly loved being with them. That will never happen with my grandchildren. I will never be an important part of their lives the way my grandparents were.
My grandma, Margaret Crowley Wynne. Lived to well-in her nineties. I loved her so much and she was, hands down, the best! I was lucky to have her as a regular part of my life!
But I think that’s part of changing. Years ago, families all lived near each other. For many of us, that isn’t an option. The kids go to college, graduate, and get careers that bring them to other parts of the country and sometimes as far as Europe.
My mom (bottom row right) with her siblings. Everyone lived close to each other. All of us cousins grew up with each other and now most of us live far from each other. Our children are all out-of-state. Very far out-of-state. The times have changed.
What will next Christmas bring? I do not know. If we are healthy, it’s all good. Perhaps we’ll go to Paris. Maybe we’ll just stay home. We can get a real tree again and I can concentrate on decorating for a quiet Holiday.
Will we stay home and get a real tree next Christmas?
Will we head to Paris and admire the tree at Galeries Lafayette? (BTW, this year’s tree was underwhelming).
Will I sit around and fill my head with memories of my childhood Christmases like this one in 1959?
I’ll let my daughter and her family spend Christmas the way they want it—as their family unit.
It’s time to be selfless–not selfish and let my daughter and son-in-law spend Christmas the way I did when my children were young and the way my siblings and I spent it. As a family unit.
This is something I want to hear from you about. Have the holidays changed over the years for you? Do you have children far away? Do you see your grandchildren regularly? I am almost obsessed with this…help me to understand!
I’m really interested in what you think. How are your holiday seasons spent? With your kids and grands? On a trip? Quietly at home?
So yeah, I’m sadly and realistically realizing there will be a day when my grandchildren look at photos of Vincent and me and say “Who Dey”? I guess that’s the way it is with long-distancing grandparents.