By hope
This year, Christmas will be different – in ways I never imagined. Neither the twin nor the gymnast will return home. While the two girls are nearby, they have their own homes and are unlikely to be staying there. For the first time, the traditions we’ve built around bringing everyone under one roof seem to be disintegrating a little. The madness of the chaos of Christmas morning, the shared laughter, and the familiar rhythm of our holiday shift, making me wonder how to make this season special.
Traditions must grow with us
As I sat with this the last month or so, I was reminded that tradition can be beautiful. But they are also meant to grow with us. Perhaps this year will open the door to new ways to celebrate – not as alternatives but as additions to our story. Here are some things I think of that would add warmth and meaning to a quieter, different holiday:
- Embrace simplicity and quiet moments
With fewer people at home, there is a calm that I fear and look forward to. It’s an opportunity to slow down, indulge in the little things, and maybe start a tradition I never thought of before. I’m thinking of bringing moments that celebrate this new chapter. I haven’t been able to pinpoint any of that appeal yet, which is a bit frustrating. - Stay connected in new ways
Just because everyone is not here doesn’t mean they aren’t part of our Christmas. I plan to find moments to connect with each of the boys over Thanksgiving together and then from afar. Whether it’s a video call while we open gifts or sending each other photos and little memories from the day, staying close spiritually, if not personally, feels like a new tradition worth creating. - Create traditions for the people who are here now
It may not be the raucous gathering of years past, but it’s still family-friendly, and I hold on to that with gratitude. With the girls close by, there’s an opportunity to focus on creating new, more intimate memories together. Maybe this is the year we add something special just for us. ideas?
A new kind of Christmas
This Christmas will be a different kind of holiday, with a bittersweet twist, yes, but also with room to rediscover what it means to come together, even if in new ways. In a sense, traditions are less about what we do and more about who we do it with. This year, I’ll hold on to the memories of our past while taking the opportunity to build something new, even if it looks different from the Christmases we’re used to.
Who knows? Maybe in a few years, I’ll look back and realize that this new season was its own gift. Have you been through a season of transition where your children are spreading their wings and taking flight? How did you manage to maneuver the change in tradition?
Hope is a creative, solutions-focused business manager who helps clients grow their businesses and operate more efficiently by leveraging expertise in project management, digital marketing, and technology solutions. She has recently become an empty nester as her five foster/adopted children spread their wings. She lives with her three dogs in a small town in northeast Georgia and prefers the mountains to the beaches any day. She has the travel bug and does her best to help each of her children finish school and become independent (but it’s hard!) She’s been running her own consulting company for nearly twenty years! Hope began sharing her journey with the BAD community in the spring of 2015, and feels like she’s finally in a place that allows her to truly focus on making wise financial decisions.
