Ghosts of Fiestas Past

Not Sooner forgotten ...

    Christmas is, well, weird at the home of the Senior Sooner, who now has his two grown children living with me. They swear they suffered no psychological damage from their Christmas days as toddlers in Phoenix. But I'm not so sure.

    They'd wake up Christmas morning and unwrap their haul of toys with glee like other kids. But after an hour or so, Cory and Annette stoically would have to stop their exciting fun, get dressed and leave all those new toys for pretty much the rest of the day. 

   Think of it: the only day all year they get their heart's desire at sunup yet cruelly must quickly leave them behind until sundown.

The undeserved lump of coal in my kids' Christmas stocking,

    That was because I covered Fiesta Bowls for the "Arizona Republic." I'd have to be at the game early and didn't depart until after all the post-game locker room interviews. And of course my family went with me for the day-long experience.

     I thus feel sad for families of people who must work Christmas day to put on sports events for our entertainment.

    But having football overshadow a holiday is nothing new to the Senior Sooner, who didn't have thanksgiving days off back when the vital Oklahoma-Nebraska clash was the big TV game. It started at 1:30 p.m. when many families chowed down. But most Sooner and Husker families postponed their feasts until after that all-important clash that usually decided the Big 8 champ and Orange Bowl berth for a chance at the national title. 

    And the turkey day's outcome typically soured one side's appetite despite great spreads cooked up by unappreciated wives and mothers.

    What's more, Christmas is weird for what my family eats. Chinese food is our tradition, like the family in "A Christmas Story" after the Bumpas' dogs make off with the old man's treasured turkey.

   It started back when my father, an Air Force officer, was stationed in Taiwan and our ship back to the states was delayed by a typhoon past Christmas day. Patiently waiting at the legendary Grand Hotel after checking out of base housing, we had no choice but to eat Chinese cuisine.

    Seeing the movie annually in the days up to Christmas makes us hungry for continuing the tradition. Although this year we had it on Christmas eve because we participated at Norman's dinner on Christmas day.