Christmas Cheer
Each year I try to look back at the research that seems promising and remember family and friends. This year, I had a difficult time getting into the spirit of the holidays since my dad passed away in November.
I'm working on it! Christmas has always been my favorite holiday and we have a lot to celebrate this year. My daughter got married in May and she and her husband, whom we adore, bought a lovely house in Maryland. We will be spending Christmas there this year. This will be the first Christmas that I have not hosted since I first got married in 1974. It's time for the change - pass on the traditions to my first-born, the first married of my 3 children and the only girl. It will also make it easier for my mom and all of us to spend the first Christmas without my dad in a new location.
So, to get into the spirit of things, I sat down last weekend with a glass of wine, a Christmas CD and I popped in the video of White Christmas. After a good cry, I managed to write my Christmas cards. I didn't put up a tree this year - I couldn't get into it - besides, I rationalized that no one would be visiting my condo - we would all be out of town. Next year. I did manage to go and sort through the ornaments. I want to give my daughter "her" ornaments - the ones with her name, the treasures she made for me in kindergarten and our most prized ornament - a paper teddy bear that my father made in kindergarten in Buffalo in 1933. The bear is worn and torn and the writing on it is barely legible, but we've reglued, taped and finally laminated the bear. It is a family holiday heirloom. It hung on my parents' tree for years. When I got married, they passed it on to me and now I will pass it on to my daughter.
As the time gets closer, I am starting to look forward to the visit to Maryland, and starting new traditions with my son-in-law and his family.
Reflecting back on 2004, a rough year for our family, I am constantly amazed at the amount of dear friends and courageous women I meet throughout the year via the various breast cancer advocacy routes.
There's my good Southern belle buddy, Flora, who lives in Georgia and I promise to visit one of these years. We've never met - we became friends online and have shared many a story about ex-husbands, childrens, etc. I really am connected to a woman I have never met.
Latest Articles