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As I write this it is just past midnight, so officially Christmas Eve. I know many celebrate on Christmas Eve.


The holiday season is challenging for many, some because of caring for an elder or spouse, others due to estrangement from family, recent or impending death. I hope each and every one can find a few moments of peace.


For my mother this is her first Christmas without my step dad, he died in November. She also has a very good friend in hospital who will not see the new year. He is being kept comfortable in the ICU, where the nurses can keep an eye on him.


We are changing things up. I am bringing our Fondue tradition to her house for Christmas Eve Dinner. We have invited family that we do not usually see over Christmas and plan to start some new Christmas Traditions.

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It is Christmas Eve 8pm. I hope you all find joy, comfort, and peace this holiday season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, from our family to yours! We exchange presents this evening and I'm lucky to still have my mom with me, this year. Tommorow I will prepare a Ham feast. I know many of you don't have loved ones still here and I'm so sorry for the pain your experiencing. I know I will feel same pain one of these days. I just feel our loved ones want us to go on and experience life to the fullest and keep family traditions on-going. Easier said then done Im sure but that will be my plan. Enjoy your Christmas and have a blessed new year! Im scheduled to graduate college next december with Associates in Office Admin-Finance. I've worked so hard for this and excited to celebrate the fruit of my labor:)
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We did the big family thing on Sunday but the plan is to squeeze in a few more visits at the end of the week. I'd like to go to the candlelight service tonight but I can't see to drive at night anymore (it sets off my driving anxiety) so I'll have to give it a pass.
Tomorrow will be ... quiet. It feels weird to be alone.
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Thanks for sharing. It sounds like your mother has really been through a lot. I hope your new plans turn out well.
My family celebrates on this Eve and we are gathering now. Tomorrow will be more mellow, with a smaller group. This is a special Christmas for me. I have had so many blessings this year......I am so grateful!

I've been tied up with some work projects, and not around as much as normal. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday. I know there is so much suffering too. Prayers for those all of those.
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Thanks for sharing the good wishes, and I wish a Merry Christmas to you and all here! You’re so correct about changing up traditions, we all have to be flexible and bend with time, knowing the way it used to be is a fond memory now and it’s okay for something that may look and feel different
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Dianne38 Dec 2018
Absolutely true! Merry Christmas🎄
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Tothill, thank you for the holiday wish. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family, and everyone who is reading these postings.

When it comes to the Christmas holidays, back when I was younger I never understood why my parents stopped doing all the major decorating they use to do, why they stop buying cards and gifts for each other. Now that I am in my early 70's, I FINALLY understand.

Christmas has slowly become just another day on the calendar, and a day off from work. I do have the candles in the windows which I truly love. But we stopped doing the fresh Christmas tree back when I was too busy helping out my parents. Since my parents had passed, I am at the age where this is a lot of work, and running up and down the basement stairs to the ornament boxes is now too exhausting.

I did give to my sig other's grown daughter and her to two children my Dept 56 Snow Village set. They love it and had it all set up a day after they got home from visiting us. Glad the village has a new home :)

And for the first time in decades, I didn't do a yearly newsletter to include in my holiday cards.

I did enjoy this past week bringing in 12 bags of dry cat food to our Vet as the clinic was having a holiday party while collecting pet food for the County Pet Pantry, so that low income folks can have quality food for their pets :)

And my office building was collecting Toys for Tots, which our office is the sponsor. And this year we got 3 full boxes of toys. Another big holiday smile.
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This has been a very difficult Christmas because my Mom died September 17, 2018 and I am alone in the house that we shared since 2008 (Mom was also in the local nursing home Memory Care Unit from May 2017 until her death.)  Everywhere I look I see Mom and memories of how much she LOVED December because of Christmas, and because of Their Wedding Anniversary on December 27th and because of Mom's Birthday on December 28th. 

My Niece (Mom's only granddaughter) became pregnant in September so I am trying to picture Mom's spirit on the way to heaven meeting the spirit of the new baby as it made its way to earth to become her Great-grandchild.  Maybe Mom got to say "Hello" to this new child and past on some wisdom and love to him/her.  (My niece will not know the sex of the baby until next month.)

My Nephew's wife (Mom's only grandson) is having a baby whose due date is in January 2019, but I am hoping that the baby will be born on Mom's Birthday--December 28th. 

So our family is going to have to change our Christmas traditions completely and reinvent how we celebrate Christmas.  

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!
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