As I sit to write this, it’s Christmas Eve. A lot has happened this year, and at the same time, it feels like nothing has happened this year. I’ve never personally been much for the religious aspect of Christmas, but I’ve always enjoyed it as time to spend with family.
This year, it will be different. Instead of packing up my child and going to my Aunt’s house today and then my inlaw’s house tomorrow morning, I’m making sure my tablet is charged so that we can Zoom with my immediate family tonight and then with my husband’s family in the morning. I didn’t bother with a tree this year, although that was more because I have a toddler now and I wasn’t sure where to put it. Instead I put ornaments on my umbrella tree. I never got around to the lights, but whatever.
I did manage one creative decorative spark though. Tonight after she goes to bed I’m going to set up a miniature tree on our coffee table and put the presents underneath that. I’m pretty sure the coffee table will also be the holder of the Zoom calls. And the morning coffee that may or may not also be part Kahlua.
It would be really easy to focus on the negative. It’s always painfully easy to focus on the negative. I’m choosing to focus on the positive. Sure, I won’t get to see my extended family but I won’t have to worry about nap time or bed time impacting family time. I’ll be able to get some extra cleaning done. I get to sit and write this rambling post. Probably most important to me is the extended family cuddles in the morning, because my small human likes to pop up in her bed that’s right next to mine at 7 in the morning and demand “up”, and husband will be there too!
There’s a lot of things about this Christmas that are going to be different. The pandemic isn’t going to go away without cooperation from everybody so we refrain from gathering now so that when we do gather, nobody is missing.
If you don’t celebrate Christmas, I hope that you have a very nice Friday. If this time of year is especially hard for you I encourage you to reach out. You’re valid and you’re important, and if you need new family then hello. I’m your mom/aunt/sister/cousin/whoever you need me to be now.