Home for the Holidays... finally

Trafton B.

December 18, 2009 - 7:30 PM

The drive from Eugene to the Bay Area is just shy of 550 miles, which means it takes anywhere between seven and eight hours depending on who's driving, and for as many times as I've traveled the I-5, I don't think I can remember a longer drive than today's. I have no idea what made this drive so arduous, but my traveling buddy, Andrew, and I were absolutely drained of all emotion and energy by the time we exited the Bay Bridge. Thankfully, home was the final destination. All I was responsible for upon arrival was sinking into a relaxing bubble bath to wash the smell of the feeling of highway off and then finding my favorite horizontal position on the couch in the living room and enjoying my family's company.

It goes without saying that I'm delighted to finally be home, especially now that it's the holiday season. I'll introduce you to some of the quirky traditions of the Bean Family.

First and foremost, my mother is known for two things during this time of year; Santa figurines and the Charlie Brown Christmas tree. The first is easy to understand. Over time, she's amassed a glorious collection of Santa's that deck the shelves of our family room. They're really quite fun, and it makes finding Christmas presents a little bit easier, too. But the Charlie Brown tree is still a mystery; my sister and I still have fits about it. We just don't get it. It seems like all moms are enamored with the idea of finding a cute tree with missing branches and scattered lights hanging amidst puny little ornaments. So, what was the first thing I noticed when I walked through the door tonight? A tall, skinny and noticeably top heavy Christmas tree. Just take a look for yourself.

Aside from the goofy tree, everything is fairly normal. My father and I will hang lights on the balcony tomorrow morning and I've already touched base with high school friends. I'm still nervous about returning to my high school campus, although I'm not exactly sure why. But I'm heading up to Napa Valley (another couple hours in a car. Sure, why not?) to spend time at a friend's ranch.

In the end, I guess the drive was worth it. Friends, family and holiday cheer. You really can't do much better than that. The holiday season officially kicks off on Sunday night with the annual caroling party, which never disappoints.