Holiday Memories (with
Giveaway)
By Anne Holly
Welcome, RomFan Reviews
blog hoppers!
I chuckled when Annette told me that the theme for this blog
hop was to be “holiday memories,” because there’s only one thing that comes to
mind… and I’m not sure if people really want to hear about it. In retrospect,
given this Thing that comes to mind, it’s kind of a surprise I have become a
“holiday romance writer.” (That’s not all I write, but I’ve kind of overdone it
on the holidays, so that’s becoming my reputation.)
You see, this Thing that came to mind was – wait for it –
throwing up.
I know, a bit on the TMI, but this really is my firmest
holiday memory – because, you see, it happens every single damn year, or at
least it seemed to, until recently.
When I was a kid, there were two things I loved that we only
ever had at the holidays – grapes and soda pop. They were too expensive, and
“special,” so my parents only got them at Christmas. I recall us keeping the 2L
pop bottles under the kitchen table in December, and how I used to count the
days until Christmas so we could crack one of those suckers. I don’t know why I
liked pop so much. Perhaps it was simply because I wasn’t allowed to have it
the rest of the year. And grapes, well, those things are simply awesome. So,
the result of gorging myself, every year on these things? Almost ever year –
possibly every year – I would consume so much that I made myself ill, and
Boxing Day always found me waking up a bit green from my adventures. Holidays
are often seasons of excess, and I am no saint.
A few years ago, this excess came in the form of a roast
chicken. I am a vegetarian, and I have been since I was fourteen years old. I
refuse to tell you how long that is, exactly, but rest assured it has been a
long while. But, when I got pregnant, I decided I would go with my cravings,
within reason, in case they were my body’s way of telling me I was lacking
things. I had an extremely healthy pregnancy on a careful vegetarian diet –
except for one, ill-advised night when I was about seven months along.
Christmas Eve 2007.
That night, I was craving roast bird. Not turkey, since I
have always hated turkey, even when I used to eat meat. I wanted chicken. I
always loved chicken, and it was the hardest of the meats to give up, I admit.
That Christmas eve, when looking at a Swiss Chalet delivery menu, I cracked. I
love their perogies, so that was my original intent… But I knew they were
famous for their wonderful chicken. And I picked a chicken dinner with all the
fixins’. Call it pregnant lady insanity, but there I sat, gorging myself on
dead bird and dressing. I was in heaven.
Not so much about 2am that night when my chicken dinner left
my body of its own accord. Let’s just say the chicken and I had a horrible
breakup that left me lying helpless and crying on the bathroom floor for about
an hour. Merry Christmas to me!
As it turns out, that was not to be the only time my son
would have me up and sobbing at 2am. However, it was the last time the
Christmas Up Chuck Curse hit. Since then, my holidays have passed relatively
uneventful, as far as gastrointestinal discomfort is concerned.
Why? I don’t know. Perhaps I have learned a few lessons
about the size of my eyes in relation to the size of my stomach. That would be
nice. I have no desire to carry on the tradition.
And that’s the most striking memory that comes to mind when
people ask me about my most memorable holiday. I’ve had many good and bad
holiday experiences, but this Thing really is hard to beat.
Oh, and the grapes? My son and I still ring in every New
Year with a big bowl of them. With ginger ale soda. But we don’t overdo it.
Some traditions don’t warrant getting handed down through the generations.
Happy New Year, one and all!
*
Leave a comment and
tell me about your worst or most humiliating holiday moment for a chance to win
a Kindle copy of my New Years erotic-romance, Bubbly,
via Amazon. Winner will be drawn Dec 31, 2011.
*
Anne Holly is
a Canadian writer of romance and erotic-romance, as well as a mother and
teacher. She is the author of the novel Strings
Attached, which was described by The
Romance Reviews as “a classic contemporary romance.” She has been
published by Wild Horse Press, Decadent Publishing and Rebel Ink Press, and in
2012 by Pink Petal Books. Anne’s work is characterized by its unusual heroes,
sweet/spicy balance, witty dialogue, responsible citizenship, and its positive,
optimistic nature. She has found a particular niche in holiday romance. You may visit
Anne at her blog or website, or find her on GoodReads, Facebook and
Twitter (@anneholly2010).
Sign up for her newsletter here.
Email her at anneholly2010@gmail.com.
My daughter's first Christmas was quite memorable. She had projectile things. So we were sitting around the tree when did her thing all over me. At the same time,the cat ran up the tree and it fell on us. Well really me because I turned.
ReplyDeletedebby236 at gmail dot com
My most memorable Christmas was when I was 8 years old. I wasn't sick!!!
ReplyDeleteSheesh, as a kid, I was always sick for Christmas.
Happy New Year to All.
Thanks,
Tracey D
booklover0226 at gmail dot com
I think being sick for the holidays is more common than I thought. I have noticed with my son it is a chest cold. Not yet four, and he's had two holidays with a nasty sinus/chest thingy!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to all, and thanks for the comments.
I can't really think of any real humiliating holiday moments. Most of my embarrassing memories involve falling. I am not very coordinated and have always been clumsy. I can remember many times of falling or dropping things, generally in front of large groups of people, it seemed.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful & safe New Year!
manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete