But it's tradition...

I'll write this on the off chance that someone that cares will read it... (hi Sam, Greg, and maybe Neal)...

For over twenty years we've had a tradition of going downtown and listening to the carolers at the bank. Every year without fail. This is how the event would typically go.

The Wrights would pick up the Dikemans in plenty of time to find parking and get to the bottom of the escalators at the Park Shops. There we would wait for the Sauers, Boisaubins and whoever else might be coming. Either the Sauers or the Boisaubins (both Thorpes) would get lost or have to turn back for something they forgot. When all were gathered we would take a picture... and then attempt to get on the right trolly. We would then proceed to Foley's for some last minute shopping while the kids sat on a bench. We'd walk to the Texas Commerce bank. Neal, Becca, Greg, Sam and I would find a balcony from which to wait for the mothers and Marcus to listen to the carolers. Our seats were reserved by a bank employee acquaintance I never met. We would proceed to the tunnels, to race back (and get lost a few times) to the Park Shops where there was a food court and a Sharper Image. When Neal turned sixteen and was permitted into the Sharper Image unescorted the rest of us were left jealous... McDonald's was of course the restaurant of choice. In the end the mother's exchanged gifts. Mom gave caramels, Cindy gave zucchini bread... Sarah gave an ornament, and Jean gave orange rolls.

Over twenty years have passed...
The parking garage is now too expensive, so we park across the street. The Park Shops are now Houston Center. The escalator no longer leaves us with a place to sit. The trolley stopped running. Foley's is now Macy's. The bank The tunnels have flooded and been totally remodeled, changing our course. We still need a map. Texas Commerce turned into Chase Bank which turned into JP Morgan Chase. The carols haven't changed. They are the same ones. There is one Christmas tree instead of two. They still seem the Hallelujah Chorus (and I still hear in my head "hallelujah its over" even though I stopped begrudging it years ago). We know our way back through the tunnels, but we still second guess each other. The McDonald's and the Sharper Image are gone and we are left with the Bargain Books and an odd little store called the Sterling Armadillo. Mom stopped making caramel and moved to healthier alternatives that require less labor... but the orange rolls still appear each Christmas morning for breakfast.

We've changed too. Andrew was born (he's now 18). Vincent was born (he's now 17). The Lavertys started coming and then the Fitts. Neal and Greg went off to college. Bec and Marcus went off to college. Marcus married Meghan. Bec married Mark. They stopped coming home early for Christmas. Neal moved to California. Bec moved to Tennessee. Greg moved to Tunis, Marcus moved to San Marcus. Now they've stopped coming home for Christmas at all.

And so there we are... I've missed it once in however many years... when I was stranded in Boston after the dorms were closed. That year I picked out Christmas Trees with the McFarland brothers and learned you really shouldn't make brownies with olive oil.

Oh... and Sam and I are still gonna watch movies on Christmas Day... though this time we won't have to settle because of democracy.