C: Holidays Approach!
After Halloween, I always feel like I am in some kind of "home stretch," with the race culminating at Christmas. For some reason, New Year's Eve/Day are a bit anti-climactic. We hustle and bustle for Thanksgiving, picking up speed for Christmas, and then New Year's is a sort of time of rest after the holiday frenzy.
This year is going to be different for me, and I am so looking forward to it. I don't mean to imply that I did not like my Holidays Past. To the contrary, I loved them. We have strong holiday traditions which I may write about in another post. But the last "normal" holiday season we had was in 2007, before my husband took a powder. The past two have been tinged heavily with the flavor of a family in distress. I'm thinking this year will be the first "good" season in several years for my son and me; I can just feel it.
My home was the gathering spot for a lot of my family at Thanksgiving, and I kept my two ovens humming with too much food for this feast day. The last two Thanksgivings have been spent at my brother's home, and those who normally would have been at my house were there, too. His family has their own tradition of gathering with my sister-in-law's family, including out-of-towners and combining Thanksgiving with Christmas. They have a riotous white elephant gift exchange, and the refugees from my Thanksgiving tradition were welcomed there with open arms.
This year, we're coming back to my house, and I'm looking forward to it. I remember two years ago when it was apparent that my husband would not be around. The family pretty much announced that the feast would move to my brother's house. I was devastated. It was the first Thanksgiving that I did not do most of the cooking. I can now relate to older folks who must give up these kinds of duties and how hard it is for them...guess I can look forward to going through that again!! Must keep the torch passing...
But the family was right. I was probably in no condition to host. I mean, who wants a Zombie presiding at table?
This year, after two years of Zombie-ism, I have shaken the Zombie off. I am feeling more emotionally-revived and am anticipating cooking and watching the kids run outside with the dogs and to gathering around my dining table. I'll have both my mother and mother-in-law with me, each contributing to the meal because they, too, love to cook and be a part of that.
And, for the first time in a couple years, I can
truly say I am thankful. I can't say I'm living up to the admonition to give thanks in all things, but I'm at least thankful for some of life. Life is looking okay right now; at least good enough that I feel I can tackle challenges instead of them tackling me! I feel like I'm in that stretching phase of waking up after a long sleep. Maybe the holidays are what will bring me completely back.I can see that this post is rambling much longer than I had intended. I really need to go to work folks, and I've probably passed your attention span, so I'll save the Christmas thoughts for the next... C
Comments
Many of my favorite blogs are by young women, but the ones by ladies closer to my age range are really special to me. We have so much history and a different perspective. Goodness, I hope I have a different perspective.
My sister likes to say that she doesn't feel any different than she did at 18. Well, I do and I'm glad of it. Not so glad of the arthritis, but I'm thankful that I don't look at a lot of things the same as when I was young.
That may have sounded like age snobbery. What I meant was that I'd like to think that I've learned something from all the vicissitudes of life.
Whew. I think I need a chocolate chip cookie.
QMM
xoxo
This year I was dreading just a little the fact that our youngest daughter and her husband will be staying in Maine for Christmas. This will be our first without her which leaves us three. I've decided we need to make a few changes in order that the empty seats are not so blatant. Haven't quite decided how, but you give me strength and encouragement to forge ahead.
Thanks, Debbie
From one who so totally understands.
A great post C, and although my trials have not included a faithless husband, they did leave me a "zombie" too , so it is probably a good thing you had someone take the reins and host Thanksgiving for while. Now you're BACK! Stronger and more thankful of the gifts God has given you, but I have to say that I have often felt the same...not too good at giving thanks in ALL things.
You are an encouragement to me Sister! Thanks.
P.S. and this is way too long a comment, but I have begun to feel the same regarding giving up , or letting others take over duties and change family traditions..
This is a lovely post. Only thing am worried is all the food am planning to cook. Am not a good cook. But ill try. hihhii.
have a great day!
I Am Denise Katipunera
Good for you! Love your blog and your blog is a blessing to me.
I hope you have a good weekend!
xoxo, Shelly
We celebrate Christmas and Easter in Australia and not much in between. We don't herald in the seasons like you do in the US - gee, we don't put up garlands on our doors to celebrate autumn and because we don't have a cold, snowy winter or Christmas we don't have Frosty the Snowman on our front lawns.
I am lucky that I have both my large family and Angus' family to celebrate at Christmas - we all get together and get along just fine, but then we hardly see each other during the year because we have no other holidays to tie us together.
Anyhoo - love the one you're with!
Cheers - Joolz