A Diplobrat Christmas
Christmas was usually just the four of us. We would wake up on the 25th of December and run to wherever the Christmas tree used to be set up at the current home only to find a massive amount to presents under it where there were none the night before. It all felt very magical.
I can perfectly recall three such Christmas mornings.
Bethesda, USA, 25 December, 1984
It was dark when I opened my eyes. The loud music had woken me up. What was going on? It was… Christmas music? Oh, my God, it was Christmas!
I jumped out my bed and ran to the banisters at the top of the stairs. I could see my parents in the living room admiring their handiwork.
“Vem! Papai Noel chegou!” my mom called out, reminding my that Santa had been there. Of course, back then I still believed Santa Claus was real.
My memory of the event ends there. It's funny how memory works. I was startled by the music and very excited that Santa had been to our house. And that's it. I don't remember any of the presents I got that day. But then again, that was 41 years ago and I was only 4 years old. I'm surprised I remember that much.
Bellevue, Switzerland, 25 December, 1993
I was 13. Too cool for anything. Grunge was all I cared about. At least, in public. At home I was a huge Star Trek geek. I loved everything Trek.
Earlier that year, my grandmother bought me a Starlog magazine, and somewhere in the middle of it there was an advertisement that blew my mind: Playmates had released a Star Trek: The Next Generation Science Tricorder prop toy!
I didn't just want one… I NEEDED one to be a complete human being.
I pestered my parents all year long. We went to every Toys ‘R’ Us within driving distance (I think there was only one…) but found nothing.
One day I overheard that one of my dad's colleagues was going to Orlando, and I butted in and humiliated myself begging him to ask the guy to get me a Tricorder. My dad brushed me off, but did say he would think about it.
As Christmas drew closer, I asked him if he had talked to his friend and if he had any news. Of course, he said no.
Christmas morning again didn't disappoint. My mother's Christmas music vinyl was on the record player, the Christmas tree was drowning in presents, but now my sister and I were more behaved when it came to opening the presents. We would each pick a present from under the tree and read out for whom it was and then give it to the person.
I remember getting a bunch of Star Trek paraphernalia. There was an Enterprise-D model kit set, a communicator pin even a playmates phaser. And no Tricorder. I was disappointed but still very happy with all the stuff I gad gotten.
My sister pulled out the last present from under the tree and read it out. It was for me! I had already gotten three presents, I was not expecting another. Plus, I hadn't seen it there, as it was tucked between the tree and the sofa.
A little glimmer of hope rekindled in my stomach. Could it be the Tricorder? I opened it calmly. The first tare across the front of the package reveled the so coveted Playmates Tricorder. At the age of 13 I felt like I was 6 again.
Brasília, Brazil, 24 December 2016
My entire life Christmas was celebrated on the 25th of December, except in Brazil. Here, the tradition is a big supper on Christmas Eve, with the entire extended family. Before supper there's a prayer, and after supper, close to midnight, my grandmother used to get the youngest grandchild to bring out the baby Jesus statue and place him in the nativity scene decoration. After this event, we would give out the presents for the children. While the kids were entertained with their new toys, the grown-ups would pour themselves a drink and do Secret Santa or something of the sort.
This particular Christmas Eve marked us all, because it was the first without my grandfather, who passed earlier in November. My father, stepmother and brothers all made an effort to come from abroad and be with our grandmother, as this was the first time in 70 years she would spend Christmas without her lifelong partner.
For me, this Christmas was doubly important, as it was also the first Christmas I spent with the knowledge that we were expecting a baby girl.
