The holidays really make me realize that the generations have shifted and I am now an adult and have taken my parents spot in the family order. It sounds silly but this has been a very hard transition for me to accept. When my grandparents passed away in 2005 and 2006, every holiday tradition I had known, died along with them. Oh, how I wish I could have just one more thanksgiving and Christmas with them ;0( The holiday season has been so bittersweet since losing them and my parents divorcing the same year. Gone are the carefree days of our happy rituals with all of our family in one place. Our new "normal" consists of rushing to 3 houses in less than 6 hours, fighting and hurt feelings over time slots, and LOTS of stress. Don't get me wrong, I love my family dearly and enjoy every second with them, but things are much more complicated now. It is hard knowing my kids will never know what MY childhood holidays were like or have the same family dynamic I did.
The night before thanksgiving was always a big party for our family. All 12 grandkids would excitedly fill my Maw Maw's house, help her cook, build forts, put on singing shows, and try to pile into grandma's bed to stay the night while the grown ups partied the night away. These are some of the best memories I have. Since losing them, this night has felt so empty. I usually spend it sulking and longing for the good old days. But tonight, it hit me that MY kids need their own traditions to look back on. So we decided to let them help make the thanksgiving dishes (well, mainly Ember--but Paisley taste tested, lol). Then we blasted Christmas music through the house, put up our tree, and had homemade cookies. We had so much fun together and I'm already looking forward to doing it again next year. :)
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