The Unexpected Becoming a Reality

“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” - Charles Dickens 

Throughout our lives, the unexpected somehow happens to become a reality. In A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas, this happens throughout several different situations including a fire on Christmas Eve as well as fears coming to life.

In the book, A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas, an unexpected fire takes place on Christmas Eve at the Prothero's house. This brought an unexpected excitement towards the kids playing in the street because it gave them something to throw their snowballs at. 

"The snowballs in our arms, toward the house; and smoke, indeed, was pouring out of the dining-room...This was better than all the cats in Wales standing on the     wall in a row. We bounded into the house, laden with snowballs, and stopped at the open door of the smoke-filled room." A Child's Christmas

This unexpected excitement made the kids day and allowed them to have fun putting out. Another unexpected reality at this moment was the fact that the fire brigade wasn't working. This was an additional struggle as their house was about to burn down. However, with the fire in the house becoming an unexpected reality, it caused people to have to think quickly in order to save the Prothero's house.

Another example of an unexpected reality that was shown in the book A Child's Christmas was when Jim and Jack thought they encountered a ghost while exploring. They had to use their bravery while they were scared to get out of the darkness and go back home. 

“We stumbled up the darkness of the drive that night, each one of us afraid, each one holding a stone in his hand in case.” A Child's Christmas

At this moment, the unexpected really did become the expected of their fears. However, as they overcame their fears with bravery they ended up safe and sound by running home.

Another example of an unexpected reality that was shown in the book A Child's Christmas was when Jim and Jack thought they encountered a ghost while exploring. They had to use their bravery while they were scared to get out of the darkness and go back home. 

The Power of Tradition

Fireworks and Pizza

“You're much better than fireworks. They're all over in a moment, and you're going to stay for a fortnight. Besides, fireworks are noisy, and they make too much smoke.” - Kate Ross

Many families have huge traditions of seeing their grandparents every Christmas or trying to see a glimpse of summer by going to the southern hemisphere. While my family has small traditions, they are the ones that have a bigger impact than any extravagant trip anywhere. Every year on New Year's Eve, my family and I go out to see the Fireworks on the Boston Common. Despite the cold, it is overall a really great time. We head out at around six pm to the T and join the crowds of people heading into Boston. One of the best parts about New Year's eve is the buzz in the air and the feeling of excitement that everyone else has. Once we get off the T into the freezing cold of Boston the real fun begins. There's usually a parade going through Boston right before the fireworks and its great to see all the different culture's represented. When the fireworks being its amazing to see all the colors in the air and how amazed and at awe people are by the different colors celebrating the start to a new year. After the fireworks, it is always a tradition for my family and I to go and eat Pizza. In Cambridge, Massachusets, there is a place called ZA Pizza where my brother and I have been celebrities since we have moved to Boston. It's always great to go and see some of the same managers, servers and chefs that have literally seen me grow up since I was a small and eight years old. While eating pizza and seeing fireworks on Boston common may seem something simple or boring to others, there is something about doing it every single year on New Years that makes it really special that never get's old.