A Christmas To Be Remembered
On November 1st I pulled out all our Christmas decor and decorated our home, welcoming the upcoming holiday two full months before it was to arrive. It felt right, this year at least, to get sparkling lights and joyful ornaments put up to be enjoyed while the world outside felt incredibly scary. It felt so cheerful in our home and it fueled our anticipation for Christmas Day!
The weeks leading up to Christmas our family had no idea what it would look really. Typically on Christmas Eve we spend it with my parents and close cousins. On Christmas Day we spend it with Dan’s parents and his siblings. Christmas is quite a big deal to both sides of our families and holds a tender spot in our heats. It is a chance for us all to be together with our favorite people. As I am sure it is for you too. It is a special time where the laughter feels more robust, memories are recounted and even the food tastes better with family as company. Late night game nights, cousins playing together, would it happen this year? Probably not, though would there be a way we could still get together safely? Maybe. Should we all just stay home? Some would say yes and some would say no. Most would say, who knows?! This year, 2020, has been such a gut punch. But who really cares about family time when so many are passing away. Who really cares about carrying out holiday traditions with family and friends when so many are struggling and hurting this season. The holidays always bring out what is important and nearly force us to really see what we have to be grateful for. 2020 as a whole has been eye opening in that regard making us all realize that what we already have is all that we need.
The day before Christmas Eve I spent the better part of the day baking. I made treats for our friends to pick up and to later drop off with family. Mila and I watched Polar Express and we talked about how last year she was able to actually go on the real Polar Express in Arizona. We made plans to do that again next Christmas. We dreamed about what Santa was going to bring us and overall the excitement was high. While we all missed our family dearly, spirits were up.
On Christmas Eve we are usually bustling around putting gifts for our family in the car, getting dressed for church, and always running late. Every year on Christmas Eve we go to church with Dan’s family and then head over to my Aunt’s house to do dinner + gifts with them. We usually don’t get home until super late. Not this year, no, this year it was quiet and oddly felt nice to take the day slow. I made a lasagna and an extra one to take over to my in laws. We watched Charlie Brown Christmas again. It was weird and different, but it worked and it felt good to just be. Rather than running all around trying to be in two places at once. Once the girls were asleep Dan and I stayed up building a wooden bike for Maya and an art easel. We had never done that before, stayed up to set out gifts, stuff stockings. Typically we bring all our stuff over to Dan’s parents house. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that staying home this holiday nearly felt like a breath of fresh air! I was able to do the holiday how I’d always wanted to since becoming a mother. I didn’t even know I wanted a holiday like this so badly until I was experiencing it all for the first time this year. I opened 20 snowflakes and sprinkled them all around the living room to hopefully make Mila happy. She wanted Santa to make it snow. And Santa did the best she could! I wrapped Santa’s gifts in gold paper. It felt so special! I was making memories for my girls. Making magic for my kids had never felt so real!
Christmas morning was beautiful. Mila woke us up beyond excited and couldn’t believe the snowflakes! She was jumping all around and it made us all smile from ear to ear. I made coffee and cinnamon rolls from a tube. Honestly, what is better than Pillsbury cinnamon rolls?! We started with stockings and opened Ryan’s stocking together. It was a Christmas morning like no other. One that will last in my memory for the rest of my life I hope. A Christmas morning I’d like to make happen now every year until our girls grow up and move on with their own lives.
This holiday taught us all something I am sure. Some of us were able to spend it like we normally do. Some of us carried out our traditions outside vs inside. Some of us stayed put and celebrated together from afar. No matter how it looked I hope it was special in its own way. For me I learned that tried and true traditions can be flexible. They can be remolded and recreated. Yes, family is everything. Spending time with our family means the world to both Dan and I. However, this year with it just being us felt emotional in a tears of joy kind of way. Traditions are part of what make us who we are, they play a big part in our lives. They keep us excited, give us something to look forward to. Though they can look different from time to time and that is OK. Maybe they should look different every once in a while. The thing about traditions is that they can be done in a variety of ways to make the time they are falling within special. It was hard at first to switch up the traditions, but we did it and it was great. Not the norm, but great nonetheless.
Christmas 2020 was one for the books, huh? Wildly different than any other year I’ve ever experienced. One that has made a lasting impression on my heart. And with that I say, see you next year Santa!
