Holidays

With the holidays quickly approaching, I've been thinking a lot about my family & what we will do.

Over the last 4 years, our holidays have changed drastically. We went from being a full family to a separated one. & also, my grandma died who was the glue that held my dad's family together (and my mom's family is all in South Carolina.).

Every Thanksgiving until last year, we went to my dad's sisters house & had a big celebration. She lived in a very large & beautiful, decorated to a T, home. That house was Thanksgiving for me. You know, it's all about tradition. Until last year. The day before Thanksgiving my dad told me that he was bringing his girlfriend who I hate to Thanksgiving whether I liked it or not, so I opted not to go. My heart was broken, but my mom was having a dinner at our house for her family so I just stayed there. It ended up being really good, but yet again, Thanksgiving will be different this year.

My dad's sister moved out of that house that she lived in for 20 years this year & moved into a smaller condo. I don't know if she will even host a Thanksgiving. & my mom said she is still going to have a Thanksgiving but her family is so small & one of my aunts is insane & the other lives in Texas so it's always just my mom, my uncle and a few cousins that may or may not show up. & of course, Granddad who is much different this year than last.

& then, after Thanksgiving, comes Christmas.

Christmas was always spectacular for us when Nana was alive. Her entire house turned into a gingerbread land & it was beautiful. Everyone in my dad's family went to her house on Christmas Eve where we ate & opened presents in her living room. There were tons of presents & ones that I loved. I always passed out the presents too, because apparently thats the duty of the youngest child. We would leave sleepy eyed & fall fast asleep excitedly awaiting Christmas morning.

After Nana died though, things changed. We don't really have traditions anymore. We go to church on Christmas Eve but it doesn't even feel like Christmas Eve anymore. & then we wake up on Christmas morning & that's fun but it's different than the way it used to be for sure; just Mom, Kyle & me.

But I'm ready for change this year. I'm ready for a holiday season filled with joy & fun again. Because it's been too long & we can't dwell on what used to be. It's time that we make our own traditions.

So I want to ask for your suggestions. What do you do during the holidays? What are your Thanksgiving & Christmas traditions?? Have you ever been in a similar situation? How did you put the joy back in the holidays??