I know why we have fruitcake for the holidays…

Fruitcake is a metaphor for family. Right? If you think about it, fruitcake has a whole bunch of ingredients that would not normally go together. It’s a nearly edible dessert. Is it a dessert even? I don’t know. Whatever it is, it’s weird. And guess what? So is family. Not individually weird maybe, but as one unit, it gets a little weird, like fruitcake.

Take that one special cousin who arrives by plane, train, and automobile. They cover the whole space and land with fanfare galore. The moment they arrive, they seem to suck the oxygen out of the room. All the attention goes to this glorious being who has decided to grace everyone with their perfect smile, stylish clothes, and witty stories of life in the “big” city, you know. They believe they add the sparkle to the holiday.

Then there’s the storyteller. You know the one who needs to tell you about that time in 1964 when the skies opened up and dumped snowed for 14 days in a row. No one could go anywhere, he laments, and adds that those were the days before cell phones and grocery delivery! So it was tough times, and he reminds all you “kids” how lucky you are to live today and have all your fancy gadgets and what-not. The kids he is referring to happen to be in their 40’s now, but that’s just a technicality.

And there is the long-suffering, silent type. Who works behind the scenes, collecting used cups to wash them immediately and put them away. Only this results in a never-ending cycle because everyone else is always searching for their cup, not finding it, and having to get a “new one” out of the cabinet. The long sufferer sighs deeply, and starts collecting all over again.

You see, the holidays bring together all the diverse personalities that make up our families. The extroverted, introverted, shy and outgoing. The loud, the proud, the strong, the meek. We gather the partiers and the sit in the corner reading types. The ones who just want to watch the football game, and the ones who hate sports and think TV is rotting our brains. The “overs” and you know who you are: you over-eat, over-drink, and generally “over-cheer.” And the ones who sit in judgement of all the “overs” and their shenanigans.

BUT….and here’s the giant BUT to this Fruitcake Christmas. It just wouldn’t be the same without all the nuts and berries and other weird stuff that goes into fruitcake. I mean, I would not be writing this article right now if it weren’t for the varied personalities I will be with this weekend, including my own quirkiness. I would be so bored if everyone was just “normal” whatever that is, and super duper “nice” whatever that means. No, we bring our MESSY, CHAOTIC and REAL selves to the party. And then we get to watch the scene unfold. Hollywood has made billions off of drama HALF as good as what we get a front row seat to.

So I say, grab a cup of CHEER and join me in the front row. And pass the fruitcake please.