New Traditions

Sometimes when a holiday rolls around and your kids have kids and families, things will get turned around a little bit and different plans are made and in the midst of all the changes we have a choice to feel left out or betrayed or we can embrace it and discover the possibility of new traditions.

When a couple family members decided to get away a couple of days over the Thanksgiving break our family chose to embrace it and try something new. Something different. Meaning when Thanksgiving did not happen on Thanksgiving Day it did happen on Sunday and guess what? The world did not come to an end. That's right! We not only survived, we thrived. The only thing different was the day. We still had all the traditional family foods followed by the traditional feelings of why the hell did I eat so much followed by another plate or three. AND I got my tree decorated! AND the grandbabies were here to help! This could very well become a new tradition in our family.

When TeacherDaughter is in the house, every moment is a teachable moment. Opie wanted to help cook the mac and cheese and TeacherDaughter let him. 

When the lovelies were growing up we always decorated the tree Thanksgiving weekend or at least no later than the following weekend and what I discovered when they grew up and move out was I hate decorating the tree alone so this solves that problem. Seriously, who doesn't enjoy decorating the tree when grandkiddos can help?

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Once the kids grow up and move out, we have to be willing to make adjustments, especially during the holidays.

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I am one of those stickler people who like to celebrate a birthday on the actual birthday, Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas on Christmas Eve and Day. I don't go for this 'well, your birthday is on Thursday so we'll celebrate over the weekend or celebrate Thanksgiving in October or Christmas on New Year's Eve but what we empty nesters find out rather quickly is when our kids grow up and move out on their own we have to be willing to make adjustments. Otherwise, we might get left out altogether and nobody wants that, I know I don't. So, we adjust.

Some pictures were blurry but I think y'all can see how much he enjoyed helping!

I'm not going to say I didn't feel sad at first especially since this is our first big holiday season without Mother so all that sentimentality and melancholy and those sweet childhood memories of the way we celebrated each holiday as a family becomes even more emotional when you find out one or both grandchildren will not be able to come on the actual Thanksgiving Day and you do tend to feel a little bit let down.

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If we are not open to change we're going to be very disappointed and have a lot of sadness in our lives.

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The problem is if you let that disappointment take hold you're not going to be open to the possibility of trying something different. It's true I am not one of those who is always open to change because tried-and-true is my thing and because I like comfort and because I am not a fan of uncertain and the unknown. But what I dislike more than change is the very thought of celebrating with only one or two people or not celebrating at all when I have to do is make a change and we can almost all be together. If we are not open to doing something different every once in a while, we're going to be very disappointed and have a lot of sadness in our lives.

Everyone enjoyed the feast! There was the usual
overabundance  of food but I think we handled it well. 

All that to say, our family celebrated Thanksgiving 3 days late this year, on Sunday. We had the traditional Thanksgiving feast and everyone was here except NashvilleDaughter and DrummerBoy but they always spend Thanksgiving with DrummerBoy's family plus his sweet family had a funeral over Thanksgiving which is never easy but even harder over the holidays. So, we gathered with our feast on Sunday, we played games, we made plans for Christmas (when we will all be together and then some), we set up my Christmas tree, and the grandbabies were here! If I had not been open to doing something different I would have missed out on one of the most wonderful Thanksgiving celebrations we're had in our history of family Thanksgiving celebrations.

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What it boils down to is what is more important- the reason behind the change or getting to spend time with our family?

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So, friends, things are not always going to stay the same but if we are willing to be open to doing something different we may find even more joy in that than we did in previous celebrations. Be open to doing something different and always, always be willing to do what it takes to spend time with your family. Don't overthink it. What it boils down to it what is more important- the reason for the change or getting to spend time with family? Spoiler alert! It's spending time with our family. Do they want to celebrate on Sunday instead of Thursday? Do it. Would they rather you come to their house? Go. Are their in-laws extending an invitation to you? GO. Are they asking you to give up Thanksgiving but they'll be home for Christmas? Do it.

I don't know when my tree has been more beautiful! Especially
that one area in front that spans about a two square foot
area and holds about 50 ornaments. 

Be flexible. Be willing. Open your hearts to new and exciting celebrations. Just make sure there's a television nearby for watching football. Just sayin'.

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