A tribute to Christmas Vacation Dad

[tirolerpeter]

What follows is based from observations I have made so far on Christmas week when the kids are off from school and Mom and Dad have decided to take some vacation time.

We have all seen this fine gentleman.

1) He is usually a professional person in his mid to late 30’s.

2) Pulls up in a mini-van of SUV with his young family.

3) Gets to the mountain between 9:30-10:00 because the family can’t get it together any earlier.

4) He always gets a bad parking spot because of the time.

5) His wife is in a bitchy mood cause she really doesn’t want to be there.

6) One kid is whining, one is acting up, and one needs constant direction.

7) Our hero (and he is one) now starts to unload the vehicle. Examples: 10-year-old equipment, cloths for everyone, maybe a cooler, various bags, and the rest of the family is of no real help.

8) Through the parking lot the group goes headed for the next part of their adventure.

9) Now they must find a spot in a crowded lodge to keep their stuff. Sometimes Dad’s Mom or Mom In Law will come along to hold a table and orchestrate the kid’s day from this command post.

10) If they don’t have equipment it’s time to stand in line to rent. If skiing where the after life then renting gear with kids on a crowded day would be Hell.

11) Then it’s time to get lift tickets, another line.

12) Put the kids in lessons and get them there? Yet more lines and time consumed.

13) No matter the variables like lessons, rentals, ticket packages, food and drink this guy is laying out serious $ for this one day family excursion.

Just to watch this ordeal unfold is exhausting; to go throw it is beyond my comprehension. I ask myself, how in the name of God can this be fun for this guy? Why is he volunteering to put himself through this for is unappreciative family? Then it hits me and this guy becomes my hero.

Back before kids, when his wife was his girlfriend this guy was a skier and this is the only way he can come close in this stage of his life. Maybe after he takes care of the needs and wants of his family he might actually get to take a run or two for himself and briefly feel the exhilaration he once did in days gone by.

He’d like to get out more now, but his wife lives by the motto, “I work all week too, why do I have to get everything done on the weekends and take care of the kids by myself while you’re out with your friends having fun skiing, bitch, bitch, bitch, blah, blah, blah.” So Christmas Vacation Dad’s weekends revolve around doing chores around the house and transporting the kids to their activities.

Whenever I see this guy I try to help him out in some small way. Pick up something he dropped, point him in the right direction, hold the door, help him carry and rack his gear, anything I can.

Christmas Vacation Dad suffers for the sport he loves and richly deserves our respect. I salute and admire his resolve.

THANKS! I am the DAD who did (most of) what you describe. I have to leave out the part about the wife. She doesn't do outdoors and only went on one trip (to Vail) and hated it. That was fine with the kids and me. My daughter who started at age three (the baby) is now 22 and still skis with me at times and still talks about the great times she had with me and her two older brothers. I am now retired, and only get a couple of days with each of them during the season. Even though I can now ski any time I want (and I stick to mid-week for obvious reasons) I do miss those kids and all those trips we took together. We didn't bother with the rental circus. I leased all their gear annually to avoid that. We had a few simple rules: Everybody helped carry gear. Everybody watched stuff when we took plane trips. Everybody got dressed BEFORE Dad. Everybody then waited (usually outside) for Dad to get his stuff on so that he didn't dissolve in perspiration. Everybody skied down first and Dad waited ABOVE (in case of wipe-outs) and then made catch-up sprints. Oh yes, everybody took turns riding "shot-gun" and had to KEEP DAD AWAKE on those Looooooooong drives. It was great!

 

[JimG.]

I started my 3 year old son on Christmas day. My 11 year old son has a broken arm from doing 360's in the half pipe the day before; he's out of action until late Feb. My 9 year old son just "got it" regarding bumps and carving and he's just tearing up the hill.

I took my 3 year old again on NYE; he skiied until he was exhausted, then went in the lodge with my wife and fell asleep. I went out to ski and meet up with my 9 year old after his seasonal program ended. We tore it up until 4pm.

My 3 year old wanted to go ski again and cried when I told him the lifts had closed. He's hooked too.

I wouldn't trade my life as ski Dad for anything.

 

[Sparky]

Being a ski Dad had its advantages. By introducing my daughters to skiing in a slow and lets just have fun manner they became my ski partners. We started with used cross country gear and the hill in the front yard. Before long everybody was trekking in the state forest not far from us. Shortly after that it was the schools ski club with used equipment. Once they were hooked on down hill somebody had to take them to and from the mountain, and that caring soul was me, the “Ski Dad”. We would take advantage of the Sunday afternoon deal at Bromley. They had a deal where one adult and at least one kid could ski from 12:00 till closing for very little money. It was perfect timing, the kids didn’t have to get up to early and 4 hours of skiing was just enough for them. Eventually my youngest got a job as an instructor at our local mountain and talked me (and management) into becoming an instructor. So now I get out about 60 times a year and my wife, through an interest in enjoying something with the kids, has come to love skiing as well. Being a “Ski Dad” can defiantly have it rewards. Now everybody skis (well one snowboards but we don’t talk about that) we have a great bases for family trips with our adult kids and now they are old enough to carry their own stuff.

 

[sal37]

Christmas Vacation Dad

Hi,

I'm that guy. My kids are 12, 10 , 8 years old. I never babied them. Instead I taught them to pick up and take care of themselves. They are no hassle to anyone, repectful, polite, carry their own stuff ( and some of mine now). How did I get such great kids? I don't know, my wife and I treated them with respect and demanded respect from them. Everything else kind of took care of itself.I train them to be a little more self sufficient than typical kids.They actually are happier that way. No DVD player in the van,I tell them to look out the window and be happy like I did when I was a kid. Personally I think people baby their kids way too much, and as a result the kids get to be annoying.

Anyway , these young guys are NOT "snot and waste machines" They are simply the coolest and nicest people on the slopes. They each learned to ski in a day, when they were about 5 or 6. They have hand me down equipment. They don't mind because they love to ski.

Some day they'll be making big bucks and paying our social security, taxes and taking care of the country while we all relax and milk our ski bum retirements. I don't exect any gratitutde or awards,just let 'em pass you.

 

[RossiSkier]

Was at Mount Snow the other day getting my gear out of the back of my car when I spotted a father and his kids fumbling with their skis and saw him drop his glove. I got to thinking what HPD was saying about the Christmas Dad, so I went over and picked up the glove and handed it to him. It was a nice soft leather Spyder glove. Then I noticed that he and his kids were head to toe in brand new Spyder gear with high-end Lange ski boots on. And he dropped his glove when he was unloading his brand new Atomic Metron B5's out of his BMW X5 4.8Si SUV. He looked at me like I was a leaper about to steal one of his $250/pair gloves. He took and and didn't say a word to me. "You're welcome @#$*&%^!", I said.

Moral of the Story:
No good deed goes unpunished.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Was at Mount Snow the other day getting my gear out of the back of my car when I spotted a father and his kids fumbling with their skis and saw him drop his glove. I got to thinking what HPD was saying about the Christmas Dad, so I went over and picked up the glove and handed it to him. It was a nice soft leather Spyder glove. Then I noticed that he and his kids were head to toe in brand new Spyder gear with high-end Lange ski boots on. And he dropped his glove when he was unloading his brand new Atomic Metron B5's out of his BMW X5 4.8Si SUV. He looked at me like I was a leaper about to steal one of his $250/pair gloves. He took and and didn't say a word to me. "You're welcome @#$*&%^!", I said.

Moral of the Story:
No good deed goes unpunished.

Dang, Rossi that ain't right. You trying to be a good guy and he turns out to be a rich snob.

 

[subdude]

this ski Dad left his wife and daughter at home, signed up the 7yr old boy in kids camp for 3 days while tearing up WaWa for them 3 days.

Good Times

 

[Vortex]

Thats' my saying Rossi skier.

I love the vibe of the thread, but I tend to find many more guys like Rossi skiers' story in the lodge than the drifters.

I also try to help those with a bit of confusion as they start.. give them a head up on cubby, maybe where they might want to get lunch and what time. Pick up the crashed skiers gear... my kids have learned that too. I got alot of laughs when my kids drag a ski to a skier and say are you ok Mr?
This board has alot of great people. I do bump into the rest.

The Dad's and Mom's who commit to the sport for their children are the ones who will be skiing with their kids for a lifetime.

How many groups do stuff like this with their kids for a lifetime? Skiers, Hikers and Golfers are the ones that come to mind.

 

[Bkroon9175]

Highpeaksdrifter,
You could not have stated it better. I lived that life and now reap the benefits and return on that investment. 8 years ago every ski trip was hell. I ccouldn't describe it better than you did. Now I've got four excellent skiers / boarders (depending on their mood!) and a wife that will actually ski.
I'll get over 35 days on the slopes compared to 8 days eight years ago. It is the only "all" family activity that seems to staisfy everyone and now they bring boyfriends and girl friends along as well. We plan all year for the big weekends and vacations and take day trips as well. The family all knows the game plan and no one wigs out. The years of hell were well worth it in hindsight.

 

[loafer89]

You got my wife described nearly precicely + she is a redhead which makes here bad moods 100% worse

I love her dearly, but skiing is not her thing, she tried it years back to please me, but she never took to liking it.

I have taken my 5 year old son on two solo weekend trips to Killington so far, but driving 600+ miles and skiing with a child is not easy.

I am planning a day trip this weekend, just not sure where yet.

 

[NYDrew]

Here's to my dad, for 10 years he put up with that, and now we are happy to haul the gear.

-Bud LIght Presents Real Men of Genious

Reeeeal Men of Geeeenious

-Here's to you Unappriciated Ski Dad

Mr. Unappriciated Skiiiiiii Daaaaaad

-only you would be willing to wake up at 4AM to take the whiney kids and bitchy wife for a nice day out only to ski for 2 hours

Skiii for 2 houuruuurs

-you park at the back of the lot, then have to carry 4 pairs of skiis 6 miles to the lodge

whaat a drag

-So crack open a cold bud light unappriciated ski dad, this one is for you

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

My CVD is 80 yrs. old today. In 1961 he and my mom started my sister and I skiing at Hunter Mt. He was a ski instructor on the weekends and we rented a house there for 20 years. Thanks to his efforts and my mom's (who did most of the get ready stuff) skiing has become a life style for me. One that I have pasted on to my 3 kids and I'm sure they will to there's. Thanks Dad for starting us out and happy 80th.

 

[ctenidae]

Don't your kids get laughed at having a lifestyle pasted on them? You'd think the glue would irritate the skin, anyway.

Just kidding. It's great that you've got a tradition to pass down.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Don't your kids get laughed at having a lifestyle pasted on them? You'd think the glue would irritate the skin, anyway.

Just kidding. It's great that you've got a tradition to pass down.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Even though it only got 33 replies, I enter it in the bump challenge because it’s my favorite thing I ever wrote for this forum. If I win Greg, and you come to WF, you can buy me an Ubu. If Madskier6 comes too, we’re in big trouble drinking those keeping up with him.:wink:

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

bump

 

[severine]

Nice bump!

In my case it's when the little one's are tucked in for the night and Vacation Mom saunters over with a cup of hot chocolate, wearing the leopard print flees jambies I got her a few years ago, and we put in the "Blizzard of Aaahh's" DVD as we pull the fleece blanket over us.....

That's when you realize the juice is worth the squeeze.... :wink:

Oh, and I also push the remote start on the direct vent fireplace with the cheezy fake logs in it.....

Definitely one of my heroes!