Saturday, December 05, 2015

Christmas Is Coming

The Holidays are sneaking up on me. Last year AJ, Emily and Finley  spent Christmas with us. It was the first time sine 2008 I felt it was a real celebration. This year they won't be with us so we will fly out to see them the week before Christmas.

Tonight I'm filled with reflection - ghosts of Christmas Past and wonders about Christmas' future and all that lies in between.

My parents divorced in 1968/1969 and remarried in 1970 so Christmas was always busy. We visited every side of the family over two days. Once I was married with kids we had a holiday schedule that fit in 3 or more visits. We all lived nearby so driving house to house, meal to desert as accomplished. Now the families are spread so far apart that it requires scheduling family time, plane flights or 15 hour car trips. Who knows what will happen when the other children start families!

And as the night draws to a close, my thoughts turn to my childhood. My mom loved Christmas. She bought a white artificial tree and it went up every Thanksgiving weekend. It was decorated with golden lights and I remember spending many a night watching the twinkling lights in the darkened room. My tree is not up yet ... But I close my eyes and I feel like I'm back home, even for a minute. So despite the melancholy that settles over me this holiday, I'm thankful for the old memories and for the prospect of new memories.
December 5, 2015 at 12:00 AM