As I sat alone in my kitchen cutting and wrapping homemade caramels. I thought back to years of wrapping caramels with my family and how my mom would always coax us into the job, (it was not liked near as much as eating them), and suddenly I felt very alone. My thoughts traveled to Christmases from when I was very young and the whole family would listen to carols as we decorated the Christmas tree, and I then realized how different it was this year, I decorated it all alone. Between feedings of a little one, I hung my decorations all alone. I did all my Christmas shopping alone or online. I thought, “Christmas used to be so different.” That’s when I realized that Christmas changes so much through our life time.
It goes from being all about Santa, gifts, goodies, and toys. To not believing any more and being too cool for your family. To being so happy it’s Christmas because you finally get a much needed break from school. Then it becomes a time when family that has moved away comes home to be together for a little while. When you have your own children you begin to relive your Christmases through them, and it becomes “fun” again, as you get to play the Santa roll. It will change again as grandparents are no longer hosting but being invited guests. The way you celebrate Christmas certainly changes with your age. The best part is it’s always spent with the ones you love. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! We certainly did!
