Tis the Season to Ruin Holidays

As we were making plans with my mom, Taryn (our daughter) and her boyfriend, Kris for Thanksgiving, Taryn said, “Mom, remember when you guys ruined Thanksgiving?”  

Well, we are here to tell you that Thanksgiving was just one of many holidays that we unintentionally ruined for Taryn.  While we could probably share every major holiday that was ruined in some way, we selected our top 3. 

3. Thanksgiving:

When Taryn was five, she was watching Sesame Street as Chris and I were in the kitchen preparing Thanksgiving dinner.  She came into the kitchen as Chris was pulling the turkey out of the oven to baste.  As he did this he said, “Wow, that’s a big bird.”  As he shut the oven, we turned to see Taryn’s eyes filled with tears and a look of horror etched on her face.  She choked out, “That’s murder!  I won’t eat that ever!  Why would you kill Big Bird?”

2. Christmas:

When Taryn was 7, we were given the opportunity to ruin Christmas.  At that time, we lived in Oklahoma and would come to Arizona to visit my parents for holidays.  This particular Christmas, we arrived two days before Christmas.  On Christmas Eve, my mom, Taryn and I went to the grocery store to pick up some last-minute items.  When we were there, Taryn asked if we could get milk to which Nana responded that she had plenty of milk at the house.  That night, just before bed, Taryn was ready to set out the milk and cookies for Santa.  My mom went out to the garage fridge to retrieve the milk.  Taryn found the fancy “Santa Plate and Mug” and was arranging the cookies when Nana came in with the milk.  The following conversation occurred:

Taryn: You said you had milk Nana.  That’s not milk that gross soy.

Nana: It’s not gross.

Taryn: Santa is NOT lactose intolerant.  Those are the only people who think soy milk isn’t gross.

Nana: That’s the milk we have.

Taryn: Can I have a pen and a piece of paper, please?

Taryn’s letter to Santa:

Dear Santa,

I have been very good.  My Nana has not.  I asked her today, when we were at the store, if she had milk and she said yes.  The gross milk is her fault.  

Santa’s letter to Taryn:

Dear Taryn,

Thank you for the cookies and the warning on the milk.  Rudolph was talking back today so I brought the milk to him.  He spit it out on your Nana’s roof and agreed it was disgusting.  Maybe he will learn to be good like you.

1. New Year’s Eve:

Many years later, when Taryn was 15, she gave us the chance to ruin New Year’s Eve.  Taryn was told that she could attend a New Year’s Eve party with the rest of her cheer squad on one condition.  The condition: when either of us would send her a text, she had three minutes to respond.  if we did not receive a response within the agreed time, we were coming to pick her up.  Taryn went to the party around 8 o’clock and things were going well until 11:45. At 11:45, I sent a text saying, “Happy Almost New Year.  How are things going?”  Ten minutes later, I sent a text saying, “We are on our way.”  Five minutes later (so basically straight up ball drop time) a text came in saying, “You don’t have to come get me.  I put my phone down for a second and it took a while to find it.”  Needless to say, it wouldn’t have been a ruined holiday if we had turned around and gone home.  

We hope that your holidays this year are wonderful or at the very least memorable.  Tis the season to make memories.