I’ve noticed, as I have aged, that the thirty (30) somethings, the Gen Y or millennials (I goggled the terminology) view the celebration of the holidays differently than my generation (baby boomers). My granddaughter and her sister (blended families) celebrate Christmas with a family gathering to watch the movie “P2”.  This was my second year being a part of this particular get-together. In prior years I lived a 45-minute night drive away.  Another aging thing- night driving has become a no-no. It seems my perception of familiar environmental markers are lost at might, making driving very difficult. However, for the past two years because of challenging circumstances in my life (I’ll write more about them later), I live a short distance from the youngest of my two senior citizen sons.

My first year of partaking in watching this horror movie (lots of blood and gore), I didn’t understand why these two intelligent young ladies would choose this particular activity/movie as reason to celebrate the season by sending out internet RSVP invitations, making spaghetti and serving popcorn. P2, directed by Franck Khalfoun, and starring Rachel Nichols and Wes Bently is the story of a woman being stalked by a crazy eyed killer, mostly in a parking garage, therefore P2 the level where her car is parked.

The theme of the movie and the goriness caused me to ponder – why would my sweet, intelligent, kind, granddaughter and her just as intelligent, kind, sweet, sister be so infatuated with a movie that they would plan a yearly family night during the Christmas season. Mind you, the action takes place at Christmas. In fact, the movie begins with the incomparable Eartha Kitt singing “Santa Baby” in the background.

I love both young women, and value their ideas and concerns. However, P2 puzzled me. There was actual overtone of excitement in other family members- was it about the movie or about getting together as a family?

I pondered the psychology behind young women thinkers as these two are, regarding the time and effort they spent planning and working to make the night a special one at Christmas when thoughts are usually about the birth of a baby Savior, who we all in our family worship with differing levels of devotion and religiosity. I considered the movie and its message, and it finally dawned on me, it’s the ending. The boobs, the blood, the gore, the violence all leads to an ending that speaks to female empowerment.

I believe, this is an important part of aging. Realizing that what used to be, may not be anymore. Go with the flow, Gwendolyn There is change in the air. Mangers and Santa are not celebrated the way I grew up celebrating Christmas. Macys Union Square will not have Santa leading its Christmas parade. My grandchildren have not raised their children believing in Santa Claus. I remember when I was a ten-year-old in the 4^th grade and Odis Thomas told me there was no Santa Claus and I tearfully reported him to my teacher.  Mr. Maves quietly advised me to talk with my parents about this matter. At home my mother tenderly told me to keep the secret about Santa from my three (3) younger brothers who, of course, knew the reality and had let me believe, while laughing at my naivete behind my back. Christmas just ain’t what it used to be.

It seems I’ve been negligent in posting my thoughts and views regarding this crazy aging process I am experiencing.  I became 85 years this December. What it is, is I’m busy trying to survive (including rest time), that I forget to pass on to you, my precious readers, some of the good things I have discovered as I age. One discovery is I LOVE frozen grapes. When I am feeling up or down in the dumps, I find I can crunch on a few frozen grapes, and it seems to satisfy a number of senses. I’ve found over the years that I prefer foods that crunch. It’s totally satisfying that pop when eating a layer that leads to that mini explosion in my mouth. That’s a food experience that I enjoy in thin crackers, cookies and of course potato chips. Well, frozen grapes fit that category in spades and are a better food selection or me. Here’s how I prepare them:

• Purchase a few pounds of fresh tightly clustered, firm red, green or black grapes from the fresh produce
• Place grapes in a sieve-like bowl and wash grapes while on vine.
• Remove grapes from vine into sieve bowl
• Wash separated grapes again under cool running water.
• Place washed grapes in gallon freezer bag
• Lay grape filled bags as flat as possible in freezer.
• After freezing grape filled bag can be placed in freezer door or anywhere in freezer that is easily accessible.

I eat the grapes as a snack, as a dessert when craving something sweet and any time when craving something to make me feel better.

Try them. I think you may love them.