Showing posts with label changes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label changes. Show all posts

Friday, January 15, 2021

How 2020 Has Changed Our Traditions

2020 - what a year! Such a year, that memes were made and it has become a household name to describe any bad event for the future. We are already making the, "that's so 2020" jokes in our house. Are you? But here we are moving through 2021. Most of us are hoping for a better year. Some of us may actually be believing that it can't possibly be worse. Me? I'm positive in my belief that it could be worse, but I'm hoping for at least some things to get better. I'd have to say I would be happy if I never had to wear the mask again. Social distancing doesn't bother me so much anymore. I guess I'm used to people not hanging out. Introvert! But suffocating in the mask, with my fear of having both nose and mouth covered at the same time... well, let's say I have had to focus hard on breathing more than once. If they go away, I can accept the rest of the changes as permanent features in our 'normal' society moving forward. 

 
My husband and I have started structuring traditions we want to continue no matter how the world changes around us. 2020 showed us how intense the revisions to normal traditions could be. I can't remember another year where extended family wasn't together for Christmas! How about birthdays? Thanksgiving? And Easter? When did we last have those without everyone getting together? But with this being the reality we faced, we saw things we wanted to keep going. Especially in case our next move does take us out of reach of family. I'd like to share some of our ideas with you and see what you are doing. 

We can start with Christmas, as it is the biggest for me. 

Christmas fun starts the day after Thanksgiving for our family. That is when we are allowed to pull out the Christmas decorations and begin the cheer! That is when I'll get out the card hanger to show off the cards we get and remember the love we have from others. 

Christmas Eve in 2020 was spent having desserts and warm beverages with some of the in laws. A chance to wish each other a nice Christmas. I'm not sure how we want to handle it in the future. I do know, however, that we have decided to put the children's Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers out on Christmas Eve going forward. Not before. Not because they can't handle them being out without touching them. I'm a no-nonsense Mama who doesn't mind taking away presents when they can't leave them alone. So they know better. No. We decided we don't want to hear anything like this anymore - "Look how big your box is!" "My stocking has more than anyone else's in it!" "Did you get more gifts than I did?" Nope. Not having that next year. Doesn't matter how often I remind them that it isn't size or quantity that matters. Doesn't matter that I have told them they should be grateful they are getting anything at all. They still can't stop the comparing. So the gifts are going to stay hidden until the night before. 

Christmas day is going to start with eggnog and a baked breakfast item (strawberries and cream cinnamon rolls or a coffee cake). We will gather as a family in front the tree and open gifts together. My husband and I haven't laid out many plans past this point. But we have started deciding which foods need to be a Christmas staple. His mother and grandmother usually make date balls. That is a recipe I'm going to learn to make to complete this holiday!

Bringing in the New Year

New Years Eve is one day of the year that my husband has never worked. And never plans to. We stay up together to bring in the New Year.  We haven't held to anything beyond that. One year we spent it drinking with the in laws. And that signaled the time we decided that getting drunk was no longer something we wanted in our future. Then we spent the following one drinking a single Smirnoff and enjoying video games together. The children couldn't handle staying up long enough. This year, we went with sparkling juice. We don't care for the New York countdown and Ball Drop. I never understood it. I also don't get the Texan tradition of eating black eyed peas (NOT a bean I like). So having a beverage of our choice and playing video games with each other, and whichever of the kids that can manage to stay awake with us, is how we plan to bring in each New Year. We also like to reflect on the good things from the previous year, and dreams for the new year.

Valentine's Day (Or Singles Awareness Day)

This holiday doesn't hold a special place in my heart. High expectations that are met with higher disappointment has been my view. Personally, I see it as another reason to get my husband a gift and hopefully have him home from work. I'm trying to find new traditions to turn this around for us. Since we have kids, I'm looking for a family idea. Have any? Leave it in the comments for me!

Easter

When we first moved to be nearer to my in laws, this was a family gathering. Food, Bible reading and an egg hunt for the kiddos. After 2020, I think I prefer the scavenger hunt idea. I hide things and clues and they have to go search. In addition, we don't have to worry about how much candy they are getting. I can hide things they really want. Yugioh cards, Bakugan toys, Barbie accessories, glow sticks - or other useful things for their entertainment. If family gatherings are still a no-go this year, this will be my plan!

Mother's Day

My husband makes sure the kids sign the card. Sometimes they even help him pick one! They are still a bit young or not quite reliable in the kitchen, so it may be too much to hope that Mom can take the whole day off. But my husband does try. And when he cooks dinner, I'm always impressed and completely happy!

Father's Day

I have the children make his card with me. I can't drive to the store without him, so surprising him is very difficult. My favorite thing to do is get him something. I only have so many times in the year that I can give him a reason for allowing me to buy him a gift. Otherwise he tries his best to refuse gifts. 

Independence Day

Since my Uncle Bob died of lung cancer, I haven't liked this holiday. It just isn't the same. And when we moved to Waco, well, even more reason to hate the holiday as we can't use fireworks. Nothing more than sparklers and firecrackers. We don't even have a grill to cookout on. So why bother? But my husband has promised that one day we will live in a place where we can get fireworks and a grill, and put on a show of our own for the kids. Until then, I'm meh about this one. What do you do for it?

Halloween

We have done a couple things for past Halloweens. 2019 saw us trick-or-treating with my Mother-in-law in her neighborhood. My joy for this holiday comes only in the fact that I'm allowed to dress up in my cosplay and it is completely normal. I'm at the point that if 2020 is any indication of how the rest of the years are going to be, then I'm going to need another time to dress up. I LOVE cosplay. And I missed wearing it so much this year.... Aside from that, we are thinking that a scavenger hunt in the dark is in order again. The kids loved it! They ran around with glow sticks searching for the hidden candies and trading cards. Even the toddler was included. Their Dad and I just stood back laughing and watching. It was great fun for all of us!

Being Thankful

Thanksgiving is one holiday I love. It isn't complete without a pecan pie, for sure! And it also marks the time when I think it is acceptable to start drinking eggnog. I love eggnog! However, I don't like too much of it. So, usually, I have one carton on hand around Thanksgiving and another for Christmas morning. Any more than that is just too much for us. My husbands family serves watergate salad, pineapple stuffing and a delicious broccoli and bacon salad that I will have to learn to make, starting in 2021! We have decided that our Thanksgiving turkey won't be enough without those three options. Oh and yeast rolls with my cinnamon honey butter!

So there you are. 2020 has rearranged how we are treating some of the holidays. Who knows what 2021 will bring? But if getting together with the family is out for good, or if public events stay canceled, what are traditions that you are willing to adopt permanently? I'd love to hear about them!

Thursday, February 12, 2015

I've come a long way...

I've been cleaning up and going through stuff. I've got a move or two to get ready for in this upcoming year. Going through pictures and packing them away, I got to glimpse my life in stages. To see my personal history in still frames, really puts it all in perspective. It renews the hopes I had for a brighter future. Some of the most memorable parts of my life's adventures, are in these photos below. I encourage you to look back and see how far you've come. No matter what you don't like now, find the things that you do like. Have you grown stronger? Wiser? Gained a special skill? Are you getting where you want to be? 

About this time, 17 years ago, I went under the knife for my first spinal fusion. I felt like a huge weight had been put on shoulders. I could move, but it was all stiff. There were nights when my pain was excruciating but I could barely move myself off the couch that had become my bed. Crying myself to sleep, I learned what true pain was. I also learned to manage it. To be stronger. It takes a lot to make me cry these days. Even more to make me turn to pain killers for relief. 

My next major life change was the day I become a mother. Since my spine is fused, I can't have an epidural. And considering how small a woman I am... I felt EVERYTHING. But my screams of pain were soon replaced with tears of sheer joy. I couldn't hold my little boy at first since I lost so much blood that I could only lay there shaking. But he was truly the most beautiful creature I'd ever seen. I'd take that pain again any time to relive that moment. 
Now I'm a mother of three. I work a full time job, juggle life, and strive to stay ahead of the chaos. I have a long way to go to reach the dream I currently have. But I'm taking it a step at a time.