Oops. I missed another day. With the holidays and everything I guess I was a bit burnt out yesterday because other than waking to eat, I honestly slept through most of the day.
I hope you are all enjoying the holidays and getting a chance to slow down and spend time with loved ones!
This Christmas was the first year married to my husband. It was nice overall. We got to wake up in our own home with our tree lit up and we had some gifts underneath. We even left out cookies and milk for Santa.
If you read, “30 Day Challenge – Day 18” I talked a little about this being our second Christmas tree ever and how we usually are in Vermont with my family for Christmas. This year we are going to visit my family after the New Year so it’s been bitter-sweet. I don’t see my family as much as I would like to so Christmas is the one time of year I bank on being with them. At least they were here somewhat recently for my wedding in October so it hasn’t been as long as it can sometimes be between visits.
We spent our quiet morning together home opening presents from each other and for our pit bull Jayda. We had coffee and bagels and listened to Christmas music. It was simple and sweet and a perfect first Christmas as husband and wife.
Around 10:30AM we headed to my husband’s parents house (they also now live in Delaware so it’s really nice) and picked them up so we could all drive to NY together to have dinner with the rest of my husband’s extended family. We got to Staten Island a little after 1PM, JUST in time for the delicious spread of antipasto (course #1 from the total of 4 that would be served). I am so grateful to have married into an Italian family. They are generous, fun, and love to eat – my kind of people for sure!
It was lovely seeing everyone for the holiday. We were missing a couple people but overall it was great to all be together for dinner.
We got home by 8PM so it was a long day but not terribly so.
In a few days it’ll be the New Year! I’ll also be turning 31 on the 31st. My birthday tends to get lost in the shuffle but last year my then fiancé, Jerry, really went out of his way to make me feel special. He took me and a huge group of our friends out to a really nice dinner with a delicious cannoli cake and then dancing at this really cool bar/club that was made out of an old apartment and so they kept the them – it legit looks like you are at a college house party and it was perfect.
This was after he also got us a beautiful hotel room for the night and had taken me out for drinks and appetizers earlier in the evening (I’ll always admit I am spoiled). Then, for the actual day of my 30th birthday we went to a local spot that had a cover for open bar, buffet, and a DJ. It was another celebration and it meant so much to me; especially because he actually sacrificed being with his parents (they were supposed to come out and join us but ended up staying home) and that’s a HUGE DEAL.
Every year, Jerry has a tradition/superstition he shares with his father. It was passed down to his father from his grandfather and perhaps his father before that. It’s a nice thought but it does occasionally cause conflict (especially when we’d like to celebrate another way). Every year, Jerry has to be by his father’s side as the ball drops (or as they say in his family, “for the bells”). It’s their belief it brings in good luck for the new year. It’s also strangely this super depressing time for them. They think about everyone who’s not with them anymore and they essentially hold onto each other super tight. It’s as if they think they can stop anything bad from happening the following year if they are physically together at the turn of it.
It’s been, quite unfortunately, proven untrue. In fact, last year being my 30th and the first year Jerry wasn’t next to his father for the bells, resulted in this being the first year in the past few where we didn’t lose a family member on his dad’s side…I know I sound horrible but, just sayin’. I love my husband’s family but I can’t say I always agree with them.
Is it nice to spend holidays with loved ones when you can? Absolutely! Should you create this idea that if for whatever reason you can’t be together some times your family is DOOMED and you don’t actually care about each other? No. Not at all.
Anyway, do you and your family have any traditions or superstitions that are unique to you? Does everyone go along or has it gotten complicated as people have gotten older or as new people have joined your family?
Emily's Esoterica 