---
title: "Christmas in Massachusetts"
description: This year, I spent Christmas with Tess and Erin in Massachusetts.
date: 2024-12-25
resources:
  - src: snow-friend.jpg
    title: The tiniest snow friend
  - src: erin-snowballs.jpg
    title: Erin making snowballs
  - src: minot.jpg
    title: Minot Light sits on an undersea ledge far out from shore
  - src: sand-hills.jpg
    title: The sea wall along Sand Hills Beach, where Tess spent many summers
  - src: bluey-erin-kathleen.jpg
    title: Heading into the Heeler's living room with Auntie Kathleen
  - src: bluey-green-door.jpg
    title: Waiting to go through the secret door!
  - src: bowling.jpg
    title: Erin's first game of candlepin bowling
  - src: old-brigade.jpg
    title: Danny (on the center mic) and the Old Brigade at Fox & Hound in Quincy, MA
tags:
  - Holidays
  - Christmas
  - Family
  - Tess
  - Erin
  - Candlepin Bowling
  - Massachusetts
---

This year, {{< tess >}}, Erin, and I traveled to Massachusetts to spend
Christmas with Tess' family. This was my first year spending Christmas away from
my family in Arizona, and my first with Tess and Erin.

One of my hopes for Christmas in a cold place was to see some snow. As luck
would have it, I woke up on Christmas Eve to find a light dusting! Erin and I
couldn't help ourselves: we rushed outside to make a few snowballs and the
tiniest snow man you've ever seen.

{{< 2col >}}
  {{< figures/image name=erin-snowballs.jpg >}}
  {{< figures/image name=snow-friend.jpg >}}
{{< /2col >}}

We opened presents and had a lazy Christmas morning. We had dinner at Tess'
parents' house, and then went over for Christmas dessert at her cousin's house
-- a truly massive family event with many extended family members attending.

The next day, Tess and I went "down harbor" for lunch and a little walk around.
We stopped at [Lucky Finn](https://www.luckyfinncafe.com) for a coffee, and Tess
took me around to see some of her old summer stomping grounds. I asked her to
help me get a good view of [Minot Light][minot], but it turns out it's really
damn far out so I only managed a little speck on the horizon.

{{< 2col >}}
  {{< figures/image name=minot.jpg >}}
  {{< figures/image name=sand-hills.jpg >}}
{{< /2col >}}

On Friday, Tess, Erin, and I went candlepin bowling at [Alley Kat
Lane][alleykat] in Kingston. Despite some initial hesitation, Erin had a lot of
fun. It was my first time at candlepin bowling too, and I found it really fun!
Harder than "big ball" bowling, but also more approachable because of the
lighter, smaller ball. The opportunities to strategize how to use the fallen
pins to your advantage add an interesting element too.

{{< 2col >}}
  {{< figures/image name=bluey-erin-kathleen.jpg >}}
  {{< figures/image name=bluey-green-door.jpg >}}
{{< /2col >}}

On Saturday, Tess, Kathleen, and I took Erin to an immersive [Bluey camp][bluey]
in Burlington. She had a great time building a fort out of the big cushy
oversized "blocks" in Bluey and Bingo's playroom.

{{< 2col >}}
  {{< figures/image name=bowling.jpg >}}
  {{< figures/image name=old-brigade.jpg >}}
{{< /2col >}}

Our last day in town, we went out to brunch at [The Tinker's Son][tinker], and
went up to [The Fox & Hound][fox] in Quincy to watch Tess' cousin
[Danny][brigade] play Irish music.

---

I had a lot of feelings going into this Christmas. Apart from one pandemic year,
I've spent every year with my family in Arizona. I was worried about being in a
new place with people I didn't know well, breaking long-standing traditions with
my own family, letting them down, and feeling homesick.

Everyone in Tess' family was welcoming and supportive. Tess' mom even got me a
stocking for their fireplce with my name on it, and her dad filled it with many
of the same things he gives to the rest of the family members. I also got to
watch Erin experience Christmas as a kid for the first time: opening presents,
playing in the snow, snuggling and reading books or watching TV together.

I was able to keep some of my family traditions too. Mom sent me a box of full
of cookies; I shopped for presents for my parents and sister. And when we
returned to California, I was able to have a video call with my family to open
presents together.

The older I get the more see the point of Christmas to be about the
relationships to family, and the sense of home and community you get from being
with people you love. Despite a whole new experience, I really felt that this
year. In fact, I think being in a new place, enacting different traditions, let
me hold the traditions and rituals of Christmas as I've experienced up to now a
little more loosely, and to focus on the people that bring meaning to the
holiday and make those rituals happen.

[minot]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minot%27s_Ledge_Light
[bluey]: https://camp.com/bluey-x-camp-boston
[alleykat]: https://alleykatlane.com
[tinker]: https://www.thetinkersson.com
[fox]: https://www.foxandhoundquincy.com
[brigade]: https://www.instagram.com/theoldbrigade/