It's tradition!
The Tuam Herald continues its annual tradition of featuring a Christmas-themed story at this time of year.
Every household has their own traditions and ways of marking Christmas, as we find out, some can be slightly more peculiar and regimented than others….
Ben is tingling with a self-assured anticipation that is bordering on over-confidence. His neck is twisting this way and that to take in the tree-lined avenue the car is making its way up as the tyres crunch on the gravel, that in his imagination is tightly compacted snow, which by rights it should be at this time of year.
They’ve arrived at the large, Victorian-era house at the top of the driveway, and are being manoeuvred by an expert reversal into the last available parking space by his girlfriend, and while he is brimming with excitement and child-like glee he is failing to notice her ever so slight exasperation with his bald enthusiasm.
He is giddy, thinking about how great he is with parents – and that is really, really great – and he’s sure he’ll win over Nicole’s in double-quick time, just as he has done before. Once or twice, not an eyebrow raising number of times. A school girlfriend, a college girlfriend, that’s all.
Not returning to his own family this Christmas has had its silver lining; he can dazzle Nicole’s sprawling clan, over cocktails and canapes and presents, under flattering warm-hued fairy lights by a tree bedecked in ornamental heirlooms, all while wearing a novelty jumper showing off what a good sense of humour he has. It’s going to be great. Just great!
The force with which Nicole jerks up the hand-brake temporarily jolts him from his daydream, of a cast of assorted family members laughing heartily at one of his pre-prepared anecdotes, and his startled eyes rest on her weary pair.
“Right, we’re here. You ready?” she asks him with an aloofness that he finds momentarily subduing. “Born ready, Babe!” he asserts, and gives her a peck on the lips when she rolls her eyes. “Don’t call me babe in front of them, ‘kay?” Nicole sighs. “Roger that!” he beams.
Nicole tells him to leave their luggage and bags of gifts in the car to collect later on, but his vision of giving the best first impression includes arriving with an armful of brightly, yet tastefully, wrapped gifts, so after shuffling on his nice, new....
Read the full story in this week's edition of The Tuam Herald, on sale in shops or buy our digital edition here