Regardless of the title, this story is not about Christmas.
It’s all about going out when you’re supposed to sit home, in other words, I’ve never traveled on a New Year’s Eve.
The New Year as a celebration in my family is closer to Christmas. I have to spend it in my family circle, surrounded by food, festive movies, and very simple games. Years later I’ve met people who celebrated it as a fun party: clubbing with friends, drinking, staying ridiculously late for a regular party any other time. But at that moment I was staying home, cooking, watching movies and eating popcorn.
When I was 11 or 12, my grandfather fell down on a street and wasn’t feeling that well. He and my grandmother were living in a small village 3 to 4 hours drive from our city, and we’ve had a car. The plan was to get my grandfather to the nearest hospital and check if he was okay, do him a Xray or something. The nearest hospital is still 40 minutes from their home. I couldn’t be left home alone and it was December 30th.
My grandfather was alright, he wasn’t injured, the next day, December 31st, he was let home. My dad drove him to the village, my mom was with him all the time, while I was kind of hanging around with my grandmother.
We were driving home on the New Years Eve, and it was exciting and new. The roads were empty, people were trying to party home, it was freezing cold to be drunk outside and although supermarkets were supposed to work at the time we’ve arrived, everything was closed from the inside and I could hear laughing and swearing behind the closed doors. I was standing outside on a frozen stairs bubbled with dirty ice trying to figure out if I could just knock.
My mom wanted to buy some fresh bread and anything special, but we’ve ended up having the regular meal. And you know what? That wasn’t even feeling like something special happening, that the new year is coming. I’m still having a strong feeling, that with no food there is no mood for a New Year (or Christmas, whatever you consider a family event).
Good luck and happy holidays ♥
Writing Club 