This Christmas was the first year P had not been with his family. I told him over and over again to go home and see them. But he refused---"you're my family," he said. And while he was very convincing and loving he also mentioned on several occasions how it was his first year EVER away from them.
And then he left at 7:30 am (VERY EARLY for P) on December 26th to go home.
I've only been home for Christmas once since I moved to Boston (four years). That year I had only four days to go home (ah the joys of working at a hospital) and wound up spending the entire first day in the airport and finally arrived in dayton at 4 am on Dec. 24th. The great midwestern snow storm of 2004!
Every other year I've spent time with a different person and each year my Christmas was thoroughly enjoyable. Although I missed my family I also had the great opportunity to spend time with other people special to me and experience new Christmas traditions.
Of course I miss my family and my own traditions (not so different than most Americans I think) but I'm all for making the best of a situation. It's nice to visit my family at a less hectic time in fact. Better to see them without the hustle and bustle and spend real one to one time.
I guess I'm too practical.
1 comment:
We spent the whole holiday season with friends this year. Only a small part of me was sad about it. It was actually quite nice to celebrate with others, thinking about the true meaning of Christmas, instead of all the commercialized pictures of gifts and all that. And we've decided only this year that we will not get Xmas gifts to each other from now on. That'll be part of "our" family tradition. ;)
B, I have a gift for you actually. I want to give it to you somehow before I see you at Bona's. I'll call. :) Miss you~
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