My family, probably like most lovely families of the western world, has many traditions that I associate with the Christmas season. This is the first Christmas I have spent away from my family, and, sadly, there is no Christmas to be noted in this area.
One of my favorite and most notable traditions in my family household is the reading of the Tall Book of Christmas on Christmas Eve. The Tall Book of Christmas is indeed about three times taller than it is wide, and is an anthology of short stories, poems, and songs about Christmas. It's definitely intended for children under the age of 8. However, every Christmas eve my family gathers around the tree by the fireplace and takes turns reading our favorite stories from the book, converging to the final story, Twas the Night Before Christmas. At this point, my dad takes the book and my mom, Rachel, and I all try to recite as much as we can from memory. I think we've improved over the last decade or two.
Without my family here, I decided to bring my traditions with me, and do what all westerners do and force my traditions upon others.
I teach three different groups of students, and in our math classes, we talked about how snowflakes are formed, and looked at some photos, and discussed the different rotational and reflective symmetries. Then they made paper snowflakes (with the correct angle of rotational symmetry, 60 degrees) while I read them (or recited) The Night Before Christmas. Only one class called me out and made me give the words to someone else to monitor my progress, but I got myself through the first half to the description of Santa, and then mixed up where his nose, cheeks, and mouth were supposed to be described. I like to call it artistic license. I made a Picasso of Livingston's original poem. That's good, right?
Christmas was well celebrated, among friends, both Moroccan and American, both Christian and Muslim, both students and peers. To all my loved ones at home: I miss you, and have thought of you much these weeks. May your season be blessed, and your time with your loved ones be dear. I wish you all the greatest of joy, be it with those next door or those who are far away.
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Our first Christmas without all four of us together!!! We read the Tall Book of Christmas on Christmas eve, of course, and then got to read a couple of stories with you on Skype yesterday!! What a treat. Your empty stocking sat with us while we opened our small gifts and we thought of you happily in your new country on new adventures. Hope our presents actually get to you but then they are on their own adventure!!!! Love, love and blessings! Patti
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