One Jacked Tradition

This time of year is filled with a myriad of traditions, whether it be lighting some candles, gathering around a pole, or singing off key and eating too much.  I, personally, am looking forward to the re-institution of a favorite tradition on the 25th: a big meal at Jack in the Box.

Yes.  Jack in the Box.

My family celebrates on Christmas Eve.  Growing up, we always had a fancy dinner, usually some dish we never ate at any other time of year.  Prime rib was a favorite. Cornish game hens.  I have a vague recollection of a goose at one point.  We never had a turducken, but I'm sure if it existed when I was a kid, we would have had it.  We would then go to mass.  Santa visited our house when we were at church.  I thought it was rather kind of the fat man to put us ahead of the non-church-going folk.  After mass, we opened presents while listening to a Perry Como Christmas album.  On Christmas Day, we slept in and ate cinnamon rolls.  The day was really low key.  Sometimes we went to the movies, but mostly we basked in the post-holiday glow.  Good times.

And then I met Tim.

Tim's family celebrates on Christmas Day.  For our first Christmas together, we ate dinner at my parents' house on Christmas Eve.  I spent Christmas Day at his place.  About midday, he called his folks.  I remember him talking for a long, long time.  (At this time, Tim's parents and his siblings, minus one or two, lived in Spokane.)  The phone was passed around and around.  After the chat fest, we were hungry, and there was never any food in the house, thanks to a mooching roommate.  One block from his house was a Jack in the Box.  So, we went.

[Tangent about Christmas-- The next Christmas, we spent it with Tim's family in Spokane.  It was to be the last Christmas for Tim's mother.  Leading up to the trip, Tim would quiz me on names of all the siblings.  (He is six of seven.)  I needed flowcharts to keep up with all of the information.  I met everyone on Christmas.  I mean EVERYONE.  Holy chaos!  I didn't know a one bedroom house could hold that many people.] 

When you don't have kids and your family is a bunch of CE people, what is there to do on CD?  You have to eat, right?  We always lived near a Jack in the Box, for some reason.  And, it is open on CD.  Thanksgiving is an American holiday, so most establishments are closed.  Christmas is a religious holiday in nature, so some places accommodate non-Christians.  The funniest part of eating at JITB on CD is the evangelizers who give me literature about Jesus.  Apparently, if you are dining in JITB on CD, you are a heathen.  That cracks me up every time.  Tim and I ate at JITB on CD for years.

Since we moved to Tacoma, our pattern has been to have festivities with my father's family on CE and my mother's family on CD.  Well, 2010 was a b!tch of a year and can suck it. Because of this, nothing will be taking place on CD.  As much as I enjoy the prime rib at Darlene's house, I am totally fine not having any obligations that day.  And, guess what is three doors down?  JITB.  Sweet!

So, whatever your traditions, long-standing or new, enjoy them with loved ones, related or not.  I raise my glass to welcome 2011.