My guest blogger for December is Elizabeth Flora Ross. Her stories are relatable, sweet and humorous to boot. We both grew up in St. Louis and have that Midwest vibe going on. This gal has a passion for writing that rings true.
She writes about her own experiences as a way of connecting with and inspiring others. Plus, she’s received critical acclaim and recognition from National Geographic. Her pictures are beyond amazing (see the holiday lights picture below). Today I am thrilled to share her holiday story with you!
A Different Kind of Holiday Bird
Image courtesy of imagerymajestic at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
by Elizabeth Flora Ross
My parents were married 53 years. They went through lots of good times, and plenty of not-so-good. Through it all, one valuable lesson they taught me is you always have to be able to laugh together. No matter what life throws your way. They were the shining example of that, and the story I’m about to share is one of my all-time favorite memories.
This will be our first holiday season without Dad. Holding close to cherished memories is one of the things keeping me together. It’s going to be tough but in his honor, I will remember to laugh…
Un-Holiday-Like Behavior
The annual decking of the halls always seemed to cause extremely un-holiday-like behavior in my parents when I was growing up. Dad would be tense; Mom would be on edge. It was a recipe for trouble. Putting up the outdoor lights in particular was guaranteed to result in an argument. It almost never failed.
One year, my parents were out in the front yard putting lights on the hedges and things were getting pretty heated. (Can you say, “Howdy, neighbors?”) Their voices were becoming louder and louder. Some Rated “M” for mature language was being used. It was building to an ugly crescendo. And then, suddenly, there was silence.
It was followed shortly by howling laughter. And while I was upstairs in my room and did not see a thing, I knew exactly what had happened. I went downstairs to investigate and sure enough, they had exchanged the International Sign of Friendship.
Flipping the Bird
Dad was up at the top of the ladder, Mom at the bottom. And they had flipped the bird to one another at the exact same time. Which they both found hysterical.
That was the end of the disagreement. The mood instantly improved. They finished hanging the lights, plugged them in and we all walked out to the street to oooh and aaah. Then we went inside and spent a lovely evening by the fire listening to Christmas music and getting in to the holiday spirit in our newly-decorated abode.
My family had a lot of wonderful holiday traditions. Many of which I am carrying on with my husband and daughter. Hubby and I approach decorating in a divide and conquer fashion. He’s in charge of outside; I handle inside.
He thinks I caved and agreed to buy a fake tree a few years ago due to allergies. But let’s be real; the thing is pre-lit.
Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Elizabeth Ross
Elizabeth is a freelance writer living in Florida with her husband, daughter, three cats, a dog and a fire-bellied toad. She blogs about her struggles and successes as a writer and a mom at The Writer Revived. She also writes for The Huffington Post and Mom.me , and has been featured on top sites across the web. In addition, Elizabeth is a photographer who has received critical acclaim and recognition from National Geographic. You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.
Blog: http://www.thewriterrevived.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWriterRevived
Twitter: https://twitter.com/efloraross
Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+ElizabethFloraRoss/about
Photography: http://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/profile/583501/
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Thank you so much for inviting me to guest post! And for your kind words. I can’t take credit for that particular photo, my hubby took it (as noted in the watermark). But I got a new camera for Christmas, and Santa is bringing me some new lenses (I’ve been really good this year), so I’ll be able to try my hand at one like that. 😉
Talent runs in the family. Wish we were neighbors and you could give me pointers. Happy holidays!
Ha! That sounds like hubby and I.
Christmas gets too crazy. People fighting, kids complaining, babies crying, let it be over!!
Oh how this made me grin. Reminds me of watching couples docking their yachts. You can hear the bickering for miles.
Christmas can bring out the worst. I think we should drop the gift giving to relieve the stress of finding the perfect gift.