Hospitality, Friendship, Encouragement

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Changes For Christmas

Sisters




and their cousin

We enjoyed a dinner out for the December birthday boys (Tim and Joseph) last night.  I got to hold Klaire for a while (though Lindsay is holding her in the middle photo.  

We missed Emma and Vinnie and Isla, but Emma texted in because they had received their Christmas box from us, so it was like having everyone together.

As our kids get older, and marry and have children Tim and I are very mindful to 'hold loosely' to our kids.  What I mean by that is we recognize and say to them that they are their own families now and they can make their own traditions.

This year, Emma and Vinnie with Isla are in South Carolina, and will be in Tennessee for the New Year.  We miss them but Emma is so good with sending photos and video and FaceTime that we are staying in touch and its great!

Nate and Kay are going to spend Christmas morning at home with their girls, Kamryn and Klaire.  They'll come over later in the day for exchanging gifts and hanging out and eating.

This is Lindsay and Joseph's year to be with his family.   They'll be with us on Christmas Eve, and like with Nate and Kay, we see them often, at least every Sunday.

So Christmas morning will be the five of us and my parents.  It feels as if we are coming full circle, back to when we had three kids, in the early years of our marriage!  We are planning the food, etc for the day.  We don't do a formal meal, just a buffet of ham, some side dishes, treats, snacks.  People eat when they feel like it.  We play games, watch movies.  Its a fun and relaxed day.

I find my heart is perfectly at peace with this.  

I'm sure it may change from year to year.  Some years we may have Emma and Vinnie here, and Tim and I have said that in the future we may end up with a family gathering sometime in December and then on Christmas everyone have their own family gatherings.  Maybe Tim and I will make the rounds of the kids that are local, dropping in to bring our gifts, or perhaps we'll fly out to spend Christmas with any family that might not live locally.  

Perhaps we'll travel to Scotland some Christmas!  You never know but it's exciting to think of the possibilities, isn't it?

I know many of you have grown children and grandkids.  What are some ways you do Christmas as your families grow?  

4 comments:

  1. Christmas can be whenever you need it to be. I personally like the idea of landing on a date either before or after Christmas when everyone can be together at the same time, though I understand that miles can separate families. I will spend Christmas eve alone, but not lonely, Christmas morning alone (church has been postponed to later in the afternoon) and Christmas with my son and family and my daughter the rest of the day. We will spend it much as you will!

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  2. We're doing much like you are - no two years alike. We HAVE met in July when there are not so many holiday "doings" going on an weather is less risky, etc. It just works better.

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  3. Our Christmases are quieter now that my parents are gone and my siblings don't come. Our kids are here and we either go to their house or they come here on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day they always go to DIL's family's house. I don't mind the quiet, and this year we'll have a church service to go to. Friends may come over and we'll put together a meal … but we're holding it all loosely. The best way!

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  4. Great thoughts - thank you for sharing. Sometimes it's hard to share our kids and grands, but it's also necessary. And time does change everything. Merry Christmas!

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