When we moved to Houston in 1973, we moved away from our parents, aunts and uncles, cousins back in Georgia and Alabama. Just the four of us were there together – Jim and Laura and John and me. Christmas had always been a big day in our family but it was a frustrating day, too, of hurrying with the stockings and seeing what Santa brought so that we could move on to the next place we needed to be. We hardly got there and unloaded the car of the presents we’d brought them until it was time to load it again with the presents we’d been given and move on. We tried to spend time with all the children’s grandparents and it was wonderful, wherever we were, seeing family members we didn’t often see. I must admit that I often wished, though, that we could just enjoy the day and let the children enjoy their presents there at home.

Now we were in Houston and away from the opportunity to hustle and bustle about seeing everyone. It was just us four. And so we set about to make Christmas special in the ways we could. We always had Christmas Eve and Christmas day until after the mid-day meal as family time. We’d do something together on Christmas Eve night – ride and look at lights, go to a movie, go to services at our church, etc. On Christmas Day, we made the present-opening last longer by opening them one at a time and everyone watching while the present was opened. That way the present was savored and one actually knew who it was from! We could easily have been sad that we were missing out on the big family get-togethers. Instead, we chose to concentrate on each other and our own plans.

The experiences of those Christmases have enabled me (us) to be alone at Christmas – just Jim and me. Would I like for my children and grandchildren to be here with us? You bet I would! But just as we moved away from the family to establish our own place and our own traditions, so are they now. We cherish every minute we have with them whether it’s during the Christmas holidays or not. We can risk taking an ordinary day and making it special because we’re with the ones we love and because when we’re together, it’s a time to celebrate.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Mary Ann Taylor is a retired banker who's embarrassed to be technoligically illiterate, but proud to be Laura's mother. She realizes that at her advanced age, she's done more risking than she has yet to do, but is willing to risk this.
Email this author | All posts by Mary Ann Taylor