by Hope
This year, Christmas will be different – in ways I never imagined. Neither the twins or Gymnast will be home. While the girls are both nearby, they have their own homes and won’t likely be staying over. For the first time, the traditions we’ve built around having everyone gathered under one roof feel like they’re unraveling a bit. The crazy of Christmas morning chaos, the shared laughter, and the familiar rhythm of our holiday is shifting, leaving me wondering how to make this season special.
Traditions Must Grow with Us
As I have sat with this the last month or so, I’m reminded that traditions can be beautiful. But they’re also meant to grow with us. Maybe this year will open the door to new ways of celebrating – not as replacements but as additions to our story. Here are a few things I’m considering to bring warmth and meaning into a quieter, different kind of holiday:
- Embrace Simplicity and Quiet Moments
With fewer people at home, there’s a quiet I’m both dreading and looking forward to. It’s an opportunity to slow down, to soak in the little things, and maybe start a tradition that I hadn’t thought of before. I’m thinking about bringing in moments that celebrate this new chapter. I haven’t been able to identify any that appeal just yet, which is a little frustrating. - Stay Connected in New Ways
Just because everyone isn’t here doesn’t mean they aren’t part of our Christmas. I’m planning to find moments to connect with each of the boys over our Thanksgiving together and then from afar. Whether it’s a video call while we open presents or sending each other little photos and memories from the day, staying close in spirit, if not in person, feels like a new tradition worth creating. - Create Traditions for the Ones Who Are Here Now
It might not be the boisterous gathering of years past, but it’s still family, and I’m holding onto that with gratitude. With the girls close by, there’s a chance to focus on creating new, more intimate memories together. Maybe this is the year we add something special just for us. Ideas?
New Kind of Christmas
This Christmas will be a different kind of holiday, with a bittersweet edge, yes, but also with room to rediscover what it means to gather, even if it’s 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 close to the memories of our past while embracing the chance to build something fresh, even if it looks different from the Christmases we’re used to.
And who knows? Maybe in a few years, I’ll look back and realize this new season was a gift all its own. Have you gone through a season of transition as your kids spread their wings and fly? How did you maneuver the change in tradition?
Hope is a creative, solutions-focused business manager helping clients grow their business and work more efficiently by leveraging expertise in project management, digital marketing, & tech solutions. She’s recently become an empty nester as her 5 foster/adoptive kids have spread their wings. She lives with her 3 dogs in a small town in NE Georgia and prefers the mountains to the beaches any day. She struggles with the travel bug and is doing her best to help each of her kids as their finish schooling and become independent (but it’s hard!) She has run her own consulting company for almost twenty years! Hope began sharing her journey with the BAD community in the Spring of 2015 and feels like she has finally in a place to really focus on making wise financial decisions.