A few years ago I was looking for a way to make Christmas memorable for our family. The old fashioned Christmas on the farm was not doing it for them. Since all my children are self supporting, the small gifts I could buy for the many members would not be that much and how many socks and underwear can one use? So I came up with trip to a motel with a pool, meals, and some sort of entertainment to fit the bill. Destination and particulars were secret til close to the day. I asked way-6 to 8 months- in advance to save a certain weekend. A couple years Mother was able to go which made it special. Tho in her 80`s she came along with nary a complaint of strange bed, food, and often snowy cold.
The 1st trip was to Pryor to the Christmas train. Jordan was able to go that year and since all was secret his mother worried how to get him to the appropriate destination-not knowing it would be in their hometown. It was cold and snowy thus Nate and family had to turn around enroute from Kansas City much to Lindsay and Brandon`s dismay.
One year we took in the Territorial Christmas in Guthrie. Dinner was at Granny Had One where to save space Christmas trees hung from the ceiling. I remember Mother timidly asking for pie if it were included in the buffet. We surprisingly met my cousin Sandy Phillips Wright and family. The store fronts all had actors acting out sights of early years in Oklahoma such as playing board games, making apple pie etc. etc. Kennedy was surprised to see children from her Ok. City daycare as actors in one store front. The evening ended looking at Christmas lights from a trolley. This was Mother`s last Christmas with us so for a bit I couldn`t get in the spirit to plan any outing.
One year our celebration was postponed until April to vacation at of all places Kendrick, Oklahoma at a dude ranch of sort called Tatanka Ranch. We rode horses, swam in a salt water pool, hiked to the top of Elvis Tower, paddleboated, celebrated Andrew`s 1st birthday, had a huge fireworks, slept in rustic cabins and enjoyed cooking on the house. The no cleanup was great.
Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine Texas was another favorite destination. After that the little kids thought only Granny could take them to the Lodge.
This past year found us in Tulsa. Nate and family were able to join us for the first time in spite of blizzard like conditions which worked to our advantage because the hotel was nearly empty. Gift exchange, swimming, Incredible pizza and laser tag were the entertainment of the day. The surprise this year was in the form of a "stimulus check" for each family.
What will the next Christmas bring? My wheels are turning and time will only tell!!
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