Thursday, December 24, 2015

this guy



This guy has been in our lives for many, many years.  We are not really sure how many - at least 15.  It was made for us by a student at Mr. W school way back in the day.  It is a family custom to hang the stockings here.  Our Advent and Christmas season is punctured with customs we have created over the years of our lives together.  Because of our Orthodox tradition of fasting from meat and cheese and dairy - we began to celebrate the feast with breakfast featuring a variety of cheeses and meats with crackers and baguette and spinach dip.  We generally do not make or eat spinach dip unless it is a Feast Day.  It is definitely unique to our family - we get all kinds of strange looks - that is what you eat for Christmas Breakfast?  But, we all love it and we look forward to sharing the meal together.  I anticipate our children will continue the custom with their families - especially if they connect with people who have no strong customs of their own.

This year is a very strange year.  Our children are 20 and they are both home one more year for Christmas but, there is a definite sense that this might be the last year we will all be in the same house on Christmas Eve and wake up together as one family unit on Christmas Day.  I am grateful for this one last chance to celebrate together and have become more aware of how fortunate we were to have this time.  So many people do not have a similar experience.  I suppose, for many it is not that important.  

I have always treasured the times we were home altogether.  The days are more poignant now because I know they will be fewer and fewer or the very least they will be different because we will expand as a family - and that is a good thing.  We are happy to welcome people into the fold.  

Merry Christmas Eve everyone.

No comments:

Post a Comment