"I'll be home for Christmas..."

For the past 6 years, this song has made me cry at least once every Christmas season. When you grow up in the north, the south never truly has a Christmasy feel to it.
Songs like, "I'll be home for Christmas" and "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas" and even "Jingle Bells" pull slightly on my heart strings each year and make me homesick for my winter wonderland.
Ok, ok, I know I have a select memory here....I am forgetting the pain of having to shovel snow, trying to navigate around St. John's when the snow has completely taken over the side walks....the icy chill of winter that lasts from October till June...trust me, I don't mind living in Florida...but when it comes to Christmas, there's no place like home.
My happy Christmas memories are many...the school play, singing at the church candle light service, breakfast with Santa at the Lion's club, the Green's Harbour Christmas parade...a fire in the fireplace on Christmas eve...the big snow flakes falling outside of the window onto the coloured lights and evergreen boughs. The smell of a real Christmas tree mixed with the aroma of mom's famous tea rings coming out of the oven...Mmmmm...Christmas at home.
On Christmas morning we would wake up, open our gifts, eat breakfast, and then while mom cooked dinner Dad would take us and our friends to the skating rink where he worked, for a day of skating on the big rink, all by ourselves. We'd get to ride the zamboni while he cleaned the ice and then we'd make our own hot chocolate in the stadium canteen.
In the evening, we'd head to Jacqueline and Renee's house to see what they got for Christmas (which usually included a new board game) and we'd play while eating their mother's chocolates. On the snowy days of winter break, we'd go sliding or have snow ball fights...we'd climb trees and jump into snow drifts and skate on the frozen pond.
I have not experienced a Christmas at home in 6 years. Since Jay and I got married, we've always either worked in retail or for the Salvation Army...two industries that keep you crazy busy during the Christmas season...there was never any time to travel all the way to NL.
This year it's a different story...all 3 of us have 2 full weeks off this holiday season, so a last minute plan fell together, made possible by my mother's insane collection of air miles, and WE ARE GOING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!
Suddenly, the music that use to make me weepy has made me insanely cheery! In fact, as someone who use to be dead set against Christmas music prior to December 1st, I am already listening to it! Caden and I have been listening and singing along to 'Frosty the snow man' and 'jingle bell rock' everyday on the way home from school.
Now when I hear, "I'll be home for Christmas," I get ridiculously giddy....because it's true! I WILL be home for Christmas!
The flights are horrendous due to how expensive the good flights are this time of year, but I'm praying for the best and focusing on the fun Christmas in Newfoundland will bring.

"I'm dreaming tonight of a place I love even more than I usually do
And although I know it's a long road back I promise you
I'll be home for Christmas, you can count on me..."