Almost everyone has holiday traditions either something new they started themselves or it’s historic within their family.
If you don’t have any, I fully encourage you to look into them since they make great memories down the road.
Also, take the time to possibly rethink your definition of family and what it means to you.
I’m of the firm belief that “family” can be just a person and their pets, a group of friends, single parents, or grandparents raising grandchildren – however, you want to count your family and its members is up to you.
My mom is still hopeful that she’ll get grandchildren out of her kids while my sister and I agree on not having any.
However, she’s going to have to keep an eye on my brother – he’s the one who vocalized being game to have children of his own someday.
Still, she has her hopes up and I just remind her that four-legged and furry animal grandchildren count as children, too!
And sure, we have some cute memories with the pets we have.
Like last year, we took a family Christmas photo all in those annoying matching family pajama sets – dogs included.
This year, we’ve all elected not to recreate the photo since no one but mom was fond of the idea.
Sometimes, the other photos we’ve amassed even make for fond or hilarious nostalgia when you catch something on your camera.
Outside of that, there are some things that are so ingrained as traditions in our family that any time things start deviating or changing, it ruffles my feathers.
Usually, mom has us put up the Christmas tree and the associated decorations starting Thursday afternoon after Thanksgiving feasting has concluded.
Depending on the weather that might be shoved over to the Friday after Thanksgiving instead – which isn’t a problem for me!
As I’ve said before Halloween is my holiday of choice, but I recognize and understand Christmas is important in my mom’s life.
And this year, I don’t have the broken leg as an excuse not to help!
The drawback I’m faced with now is my sister’s work schedule taking precedence and shifting our annual tradition to THIS weekend instead of next.
It just feels like it’s coinciding with Christmas’ encroachment of other fall holidays and definitely agitates me most of all when mom wants to listen to Christmas music so early!
I had to remind her that I did my stint on learning Christmas music in October thanks to the years I was in choir and Show Choir – the earlier that music starts, the more annoyed I get.
Still, once I get over the initial frustrations, I’m good with the trees being up and admiring our variety of ornaments and decorations.
This year, we have two new wrinkles – Harlee the pup and Bones the kitten are newcomers to our house and I’m predicting quite a few gnawed-on presents and broken ornaments in our future.
But, like with everything, we’ll have to wait and see – even if messing with my time-honored traditions really gets my goat.
