The Christmas Drive

One of my favorite times of the holiday season is when I drive up to the U.P. just before Christmas. This usually occurs on Christmas Eve morning. It may seem strange, as it consists of nothing but me sitting in my car for many hours on end, with no family, friends, or Christmas cookies in sight.

But I enjoy it immensely.

It’s not the scenery. Having a nice snowfall blanketing the landscape helps, but it’s not essential by any means. I could be driving through the desert and it would still be the same.

What I like is that its is a soft spot between real life, and the responsibilities thereof, and the flurry of Christmas activities that kick off on Christmas Eve and don’t end until the day after Christmas.

Not that I don’t like the Christmas activities. They’re wonderful, and I wouldn’t miss them for anything. But once they begin, everything goes by so fast that in no time at all it’s the day after Christmas, and I’m staring down the bleak reality that is the coming long, cold January.

So, for me, if there’s a time for relaxation, anticipation, and personal reflection, it’s during the drive home.

As soon as I start up my car, real life has temporarily disappeared. No more work, no more pressure, no more stress. The ride itself is the definition of freedom. I look ahead to the fun that is to be had, placing myself into a sort of cozy zone of Christmas anticipation, all without the distractions of everyday life.

It’s the only time that I’ll listen to Christmas music and really enjoy it. Prior to that, it seems a little too commercial, or perhaps a bit too premature. But on the ride up, anything else would seem strange and out of place, and it would ruin the mood.

I also listen to some old time radio Christmas broadcasts, such as Miracle on 34th street or a Christmas Carol, from way back in the 40’s or 50’s. At any other time it would seem strange and tacky, but not on the ride up.

It wouldn’t seem like driving through Ashland, Wisconsin, or any of the other towns along the way, would be all that enjoyable, especially if the roads are slippery or the falling snow is limiting visibility. But with a steaming cup of coffee, a Garth Brooks Christmas album, and plenty of time to focus on what truly matters in life, you can’t do a whole lot better.

Hopefully you have time for something similar.

Merry Christmas!