Remember that a good, or bad Christmas doesn’t define you, or your life.
Well that happened, quickly didn’t it? Christmas is like a wedding, or a birthday, you wait all year for the day to come and then BAM it is over so quick, if you blink, or nap, you miss it. As a young girl, I was always so frustrated with that. It pissed me off how much energy I devoted to the big day, and how anticlimactic it was when it was all said and done. Unlike Halloween, at least with Halloween the candy lasted you days, weeks, or if you were like me, even months. It wasn’t unusual for me to still have Halloween candy kicking around at Christmas. But no matter what I did, I wasn’t able to extend Christmas, to spread it out. That was, until I was much, much older. When Yannick and I had Brianna and Dominique I started to, thanks to both our families being divorced, extend the Christmas spirit and the festivities over four days. Small blessings are broken families.
We broke our Christmas up like this: one day we would drive and spend with his dad, his wife, and her parents. With that came extra aunts, uncles, cousins, and food. On Christmas Eve, it became tradition for my two brothers, and all our kids to go to my dad’s house to celebrate with his wife and kids. Christmas Day was always spent with my mom, and all my family on that side of the family, and if we got lucky we were able to have Boxing Day with friends.
Now this was the way to do Christmas. Warmed my heart and satisfied my desire to get MORE bang out of the one day. You see I love socializing. I love having people in our house, cooking for them, hanging out with them, and playing games. Doing this for only one day never did suit me all that well. Even now I’ve still managed to spread it out over a minimum of two days, and three major meals. A typical Christmas for the Bisson’s looks like this:
The week before Christmas I keep my calendar open, allowing us to pick up last minute dinners, lunches, what have you with friends we haven’t had a chance to break bread with over the course of the year. I also like to head into Christmas rested, and prepared, by not having any solid plans allows me to keep my cool.
Christmas Eve the girls and I cook a traditional meal at home, with our closest friends, and any family who wants to join in.
Christmas day my brother, his wife and our two nephews come over for brunch.
Christmas day night, we either make turkey pot pie from the leftovers or drive to my mom’s for another big family dinner with her husband’s kids, and other aunts and uncles who didn’t come to our place.
Sometimes, if time allows we will travel somewhere to meet up with Yan’s sister, her hubby and kids, since they’ve always lived in the States. No matter where we are, I never allow Christmas to be just one day. For me it is the spirit of the entire month, but that drives Yannick insane, so I keep my enthusiasm to a dull roar, and only three days of active festivities.
What ever your Christmas season traditions are, I hope you had a joyful, peaceful, and loving time. I know for so many people it is a time of deep sadness, and this breaks my heart. I wish I could wrap my arms around any and all people who feel this way more profoundly at Christmas. I know that life is difficult, and it can be lonely, but we must all remember that we’re precious, valued, important human beings on this big beautiful earth. I pray that if you had a sad holiday time that the upcoming days leading into the new year bring you solace, and hope.
It is corny I know, but life really is what we make it, and nobody can control our thoughts except for us; so meditate on all that is good and right in your world, and it will make all that seems shitty that much more bearable. Take it from somebody who knows, and has to practice this sort of meditation on the regular.
You got this, today is a new day.
Much love,
Xo SB
