This Christmas in Retrospect
Since Thanksgiving I had a part of me dreading this Christmas. Thanksgiving this year felt hollow, like we just decided to have a big meal on a random Thursday. Dinner was eerily silent without the roar of conversation from my parents, siblings, nieces and nephews. The spirit of Thanksgiving wasn't there and I had feared the same would happen on Christmas.
A part of me wished that Christmas could be rescheduled, maybe make Christmas in July a real thing? It was a fun thought but, unlike me, the rest of the family was looking forward to the holiday. So I went about all the preparations while also preparing myself for the worse. Setting up a schedule for everyone to facetime, getting pies baked, decorating the tree and wrapping gifts etc. It helped to distract me from my worries, at least till I ran out of things to do. My sleep was uneasy Christmas Eve knowing that in just a few hours Christmas will be here.
I didn't get a lot of sleep as I was awoken barely after dawn by my kids. It is then that something I didn't expect happened. Their enthusiasm and joy overcame my apprehension. From that moment on that feeling of joy didn't leave me. Even though my extended family was only there through a screen, it didn't bother me. Just having that time with my husband and kids was enough. This Christmas was different than any Christmas that came before but the spirit still remained. I truly enjoyed this Christmas.
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas as well!
A part of me wished that Christmas could be rescheduled, maybe make Christmas in July a real thing? It was a fun thought but, unlike me, the rest of the family was looking forward to the holiday. So I went about all the preparations while also preparing myself for the worse. Setting up a schedule for everyone to facetime, getting pies baked, decorating the tree and wrapping gifts etc. It helped to distract me from my worries, at least till I ran out of things to do. My sleep was uneasy Christmas Eve knowing that in just a few hours Christmas will be here.
I didn't get a lot of sleep as I was awoken barely after dawn by my kids. It is then that something I didn't expect happened. Their enthusiasm and joy overcame my apprehension. From that moment on that feeling of joy didn't leave me. Even though my extended family was only there through a screen, it didn't bother me. Just having that time with my husband and kids was enough. This Christmas was different than any Christmas that came before but the spirit still remained. I truly enjoyed this Christmas.
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas as well!