The Christmas Dance

The Christmas middle school dance took place Friday night. I know we aren’t supposed to call things like school dances the “Christmas” dance, but here are my thoughts on that.

In the United States, the federal government gives federal employees a day off on December 25th each year. December 25th is Christmas Day. The feds do not give a day off for any other religious holiday. So, sorry folks, it’s a Christmas dance.

I was hoping that the twins would go to the dance with the intent of standing next to the wall, drinking lemonade, listening to the music. No such luck, they both had “dates.”

I’m not sure that “date” is the correct word for what they had. In my day, a date is when the boy drives his car to the girl’s house. meets and/or talks to the girls parents.

The girl’s father shows the boy things like ribbons from shooting competitions, karate black belts, prison tattoos, military medals; you know, things like that.

After the father and the dating couple have had that chat, and the dating couple understand the rules the kids go off together.

That’s not the way it works today. Today the kids start “dating” way to early. I think that is because parents are totally sick of their children by the time they are teenagers and want them to get married and move out of the house. My parents wanted me to get married and move out also. But I was way too smart for that. I tried to stay forever. Then Elaine came along and made me move out. Where else but your mother’s house do you do no cooking or cleaning and spend your money on yourself?

Today parents are actively involved in the “dates” of their children. Parents now drop kids off at dances and movies and such. Parents even give kids money for these “dates”.

Elaine and I are no exception. We also drop the twins off at the door of the school. We give them money for snacks. We wait around town for the dance/movie or whatever to pick them up in a couple hours. Not every parent has the waiting problem, but Elaine and I live quite a ways from the dances and movies. ( OK, its really not that bad. Elaine and I go out to eat or something like that. Kind of like a date. Just like the twins, only with our own car and own money.)

Girl Twin was invited to the dance by a nice boy. (I think with the help of his parents.) Sitting in first period math class this nice boy (in front of the class) handed Girl Twin a handful of roses and asked her to the dance. (I’m pretty sure the parents bought and paid for the roses.) Girl Twin accepted his invitation.

I would have been great if that was the end of that story. Sadly, it was not. Girl Twin knew immediately that she did not want to go to the dance with this boy. However, she felt the invitation would have been embarrassing for both of them if declined.

After the word got out that Girl Twin was not really wanting to dance with this boy, well, that’s when the crying started.

The story ends happily. The boy invited another girl to the dance. This girl accepted also. I’m not sure this girl got roses, I hope the parents didn’t need to buy another handful. That could get expensive.

At the dance Girl Twin danced with the Rose Boy. I know, I can’t keep up either.

Boy Twin’s story does not have the drama of Girl Twin’s story. Boy twin asked a girl to the dance without giving her roses. I’m kind of glad he chose to go roseless. I think he might have had a problem convincing ‘Ol Monner to spring for roses.

We did spring for new clothes for both twins. Boy Twin got a pair of pants and a shirt that matched his sneakers. I know he will never wear them after the dance. That’s OK though, I saved money not buying roses.

Girl Twin got a new dress. She went to a sleepover immediately after the dance with a couple of girlfriends, so I didn’t see her new dress. I never will! I take that back, I might see it when we drop it off at the thrift store.

Our crazy lives!

Monner