As I've grown older Christmas has gotten predictably routine, the childhood magic may be gone but it's still an enjoyable time of the year to relax and enjoy time with family.
Now our family has a very strict Christmas routine which we've been followed for years. On Christmas Eve we go to a fancy restaurant in a fancy mansion to eat fancy dinner. At Christians day we go to church to sing songs. Place candles in the cemetery. Then come home and eat dinner and watch movies together. And finally open presents. We usually also invite our city-slicker relatives to our home in the country.
This year will be a bit more special since I've just completed the compulsory military service of my country. That means as a reservist I can finally stand as an honor guard at our town's war memorial. And I can stand there next to my dad who's been doing it for years, which is something I've been looking forward to for a long time.
