Living Large Right Where I am

If you’re anything like me, this is a nostalgic time of the year. I awoke this morning hearing Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” on my very modern music streaming service. I smiled because it was my mother’s favorite Christmas song and it always makes me think of her. It took me a few more minutes to realize that it’s also her birthday. She would have been 97 today.

For a few minutes, I was transported from My Little House to the small bungalow where I spent most of my childhood. My mother creating beautiful packages – she just didn’t wrap them, her packages were works of art adorned with decorations – a cigarette burning in the ashtray and Christmas music blaring from her huge console stereo in the living room.

Music can do that; it transports us to places in time.

I’m reminded of many other Christmases when Dale and I were young adults. Our family all still living, we had plenty of people to visit between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. My family’s celebration was first, usually keeping us out until the early hours of Christmas morning. A few short hours sleep later, we were up with our two exchange daughters having our Christmas at home. Before breakfast, we were at my mother in law’s. Next up was his aunt and uncles where his grandmother lived and then with his dad and stepmom on Christmas night.

I’d run myself ragged and typically end up with a severe case of bronchitis it took me until spring to shake.

I’ll admit sometimes we stupidly wished for slower holidays.  What we didn’t realize then was that slower holidays meant the large extended family we loved would be no longer. And because we didn’t have biological children and our exchange daughters would be on different continents most years, it meant our holidays would slow to a crawl.

It didn’t take us long to create our own traditions here at Our Little House. We’d make tacos on Christmas Eve and watch Christmas Vacation and Dale’s favorite “Christmas” movie, Lethal Weapon. LOL. We’d only exchange gifts in our stockings (because we didn’t need anything) on Christmas morning and spend the afternoon eating dinner with my aunt and uncle. Sometimes, I few neighbors would join us.

This is my 4^th Christmas without Dale. Going from huge, multiple celebrations to quiet ones to only one dinner with my aunt and uncle has been a big adjustment for me. Nothing brings home the reality of living alone than the holidays. But I’m getting used to them, just as I’m getting used to living alone the rest of the year. And, I have my fur kids.

I still decorate, I still enjoy the spirit most people seem to have during this time of the year (and wish it would continue the whole year). I still love getting up early and enjoying the twinkling of the tree lights in the pre-dawn, and the music can still transport me back to another time, a busier time full of love and family.

That’s OK. They’re wonderful memories, I don’t live there anymore, but it’s a nice place to visit.

It’s all about Living Large where we’re at now.

Wishing you a very Happy Holiday season and a wonderful start to your New Year!