Question for Today-Holidays-Love Em or Not?

I love the holidays and especially making family time a priority.  I loving having all my kids come home and now we have a grandbaby and he makes it so much fun.  I enjoy decorating and having any and everyone in my home to join in.  We ususally have "strays" who don't have a place to go and always have so much fun.  No one should be alone during the holidays.  I do a lot of cooking but I also have help with the meals.  I really am not worried about the food this year because I am so disinterested in it at this point.  The weight loss I've enjoyed feels sooooo much better than I think anything could possibily taste.  I know that I dump on sweets and that is such a blessing for me. 

The sad thing for us this year is that my 86 year old MIL has sold her home and we will not go to "Grandma's" house this year for Christmas Eve.  We will pass that torch on to someone else but Grandma will be there.  My elderly Mom has been and still is very ill and I'm praying that she will be able to be with us for the holidays.  Time goes on and people change but the Holidays are the same time every year and I'm so thankful that we have that time to set aside for family and recognizing the gift of our Savior at Christmas time even though we should every day!!!

Part of what my family struggles with is Grandma and Grandpa have downsized-the kids all moved away.....and when we gather it's crowded.  When I moved back, I wanted to be close to Mom and Dad, and quite frankly, I didn't want to spend dollars on a big house when I'm not that much into entertaining...So, last year we worked through the "it's not supposed to be this way....." and are now working with what we have (and what I'm willing to do).  Some of that involved counseling-when Mom starts complaining I tell her she needs to call my brother-because all those grands and great grands are his, not mine.....That said, there are a few DVD's and some WII games (and some dog tricks too) that the kids will enjoy-I'm really not a monster, I just want to contribute what I want to contribute-not what I "should" contribute.

Our generation (mom's and mine) really has a zillion role issues to work out because things changed so much....but it helps me to remind myself that it's an entire generation, just not our little family.

 

For all our elders who are hanging on- I send prayers for their comfort.  Death is a part of life that we in the West are just not comfortable with-and I hope we all learn to make peace with it. 

I agree with all that Deb.  You know, we all get this fantasy about what the holidays should be, like the Ward and June Clevers.  I think when they don't turn out perfect and everyone doesn't have a wonderful time it's quite a let down.  For some and myself included many years it's a depressing time when we have not so perfect families.  I have finally gotten to the point in my life when I don't do just because someone thinks I should.  It only took me 54 years!!!

LOL-still working on it.  The not so perfect part hits us all.  Every year someone asks about my daughter, I reply "I haven't heard from her in years"......and then I'm left to figure out if I should allow myself a few moments to be sad, do it later for the sake of the gathering or what.....I may actually say what I've been dying to say for years......"Do you think if I suddenly heard from her I'd forget to mention it?"   and yet, if no one asked, I'd probably be sad too.