Remember when you were a kid and you did something wrong. What was one of the things your parents might have said to you? “I hope you grow up to have kids that are just like you!” Today is an example of that particular mother’s curse coming true. Sort of. Not really, but sort of.

My sister is three years older than me. My brother is six years younger. Starting from my sister’s 5th or 6th grade year and carrying through in an unbroken line until my brother graduated high school, my parents were subjected to at least one but sometimes two school Christmas concerts per year.

As band geeks, we thought they were pretty cool. As parents… it must have been no less than the tortures of the damned. Every year the same small group of Christmas songs over and over and over again. The only differences being the slight changes in interpretation made by the band directors from elementary school to junior high to high school. My poor, poor parents. It must have been unbearable.

Now they get their revenge. Sort of. Between my two step kids there will be more Christmas concerts this year than you can possibly imagine. One kid has a concert with his guitar teacher. Both kids have concerts with their piano teacher. One kid has a concert with the middle school. The other kid has concerts with the high school. Oh my sweet goodness there are four (4) (FOUR!!!!) Christmas concerts this year alone!

Now I make no attempts to hide the fact that after all of my Christmas concerts, I pretty much hate Christmas music. I’ll tolerate it for a brief period leading up to, and immediately after Christmas itself, but otherwise? It makes my skin crawl and my teeth ache. Really.

Having said that though, I can say that the mother’s Christmas concert curse doesn’t really bother me the way it should. Why? Because while I hate Christmas music with a burning, undying passion, I love listening to the kids play. I’ll grit my teeth and struggle through the agony of listening to everyone else’s kids have their turns at the various recitals, but when my step kids are on the stage? Well, that is one of the greatest things ever. Guitar, piano, chorus, choir, concert band, jazz band. I love it all. I love hearing them strut their stuff on the various instruments they play. It helps that they are so much better than I ever was, but it’s not just that. I love to see them enjoying it.

Music is near the top of the list of the greatest things humans can do with their time, and it is such a thrill to see the two kids loving it as much as I do.

Sorry mom and dad, but this particular revenge isn’t so bad.