HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Family Time!!

Home for the holidays again! Family travel turned out to be fun after all. Especially visiting Great Aunt Mabel! But what was  REALLY fun for me was coming home to a house that has already been decluttered, organized (mostly), and was ready to settle into. A place that’s our own to return to and unwind from one adventure as we prepare for an even bigger one.

Recuperating from Holiday Travel

The first few days back home allow us to ease back into our normal lives. Unpack suitcases, wash – well – pretty much everything (did a kid stick a roll of toilet paper in her suitcase?? Not sure we’ll ask what that was about). And we can get back to the feeling of home.

It may not be the adventure the kids are ready for, but it’s a much needed deep breath for mom and dad as they stop dreaming about flight delays, losing kids in airports, and the number of germs floating around in airplanes. I’ll take a gentle transition and familiar comforts. Good for the soul!

Embracing Family Time

The best part of being home in time to get ready for the holidays lies in special moments with family. Whether it’s cozying up by the fireplace, reminiscing about past holiday adventures, or engaging in special (or crazy) family traditions, these moments create lasting memories.

Appreciating Simple Pleasures

In our house, it’s still a little early to put up decorations or the Christmas tree, but it’s not too early to think about other things. Like a family photo!! It’s already a little late, but we can try to get something together. Maybe. Or not.

I still remember the year our youngest cried through every attempt at picture taking. I felt like the monster who devoured Christmas. Her eyes were so red in the final picture I considered a little eye make-up. (Not. But maybe just for a moment, before the relatives saw the pitiful little red eyes and wondered what we could possibly have done to our precious child.)

Fortunately we no longer have children young enough to cry over the family photo. They might cry about being taken away from other activities to participate, but that’s another story. A good time for reminders about the Naughty List, perhaps??

In addition to taking pictures, we can begin making lists of our holiday movies, creating playlists  (I still like my old DVDs better). We can get out games that work well over Christmas, not just for our family but for sleep-over guests and other visitors.

And if all else fails, we can get out the old Sears catalog and let them look at the pictures!

Please share your own experiences and suggestions in the Comments below!