Sunday, December 30, 2018

Christmas thoughts

We had all planned to get together at Windy Poplars Farm for Christmas - Michael, Estée, Campbell, Indy, Margaret, Matthew, Hazel, Tom, and I. The "kids" wanted our gathering to be here. It was supposed to be on Sunday, the 23rd, but Margaret's whole family had a days-long flu. We tried to find another time, but with work, and other winter sicknesses it doesn't look like it will happen while the tree is still up. Perhaps there will be a January day when we all can be here, but once the New Year gets going, life gets busy.

Addendum: I realized as I wrote a comment back to a reader that I should have said that I'm not upset or sad about this. I'm a very go with the flow kind of person when it comes to activities. And I see them all a lot! In fact, I texted everyone and said this:
I don't feel sad because I am a luckylucky mother that my kids and their families live so close. I am ever thankful. It is Christmas every day that I see you.

So, I came up with a brilliant (?!) idea for 2019! The plan is to have our family celebration on the Solstice. I looked it up, and it is December 21 next year. This gives everyone a year's time to tell any workplaces that they want that day off! And hopefully, no one will be sick. This leaves Christmas Eve clear for an annual party Estée's family has, and leaves clear Christmas Day to be with their own families. I'm thinking if we can make this a date on the calendar then it can become a permanent day of celebrating Christmas together! We'll see. We all know what John Lennon did or didn't say about making plans, and what Robbie Burns said in his sad poem to the mouse. But for now, it seems optimistic to me and I'm already looking forward to it.

And now, it is time for me to walk around taking down the month-long decorations of Christmas. It has been lovely, but now it is time for that clean slate that January brings.









22 comments:

  1. Yes, making plans that far ahead makes for no excuses, unless like you said, someone is sick. But then again they have plenty of time to get the vitamins that help prevent colds etc. in their system.

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    1. Once the little ones got into pre-school, the whole school kid germs started going around! No one was making excuses - my son works 7 days a week and had only a couple days off this time of year. And my daughter had to work New Year's Day. Life is hectic and full of responsibilities as we get older. I'm easy. I never make demands on anyone. I let the kids decide what they want and I go along!

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  2. Nan, have I ever told you that you remind me of my mother in many ways? And you know how much I loved my mother. Your attitude was hers - she loved being with her kids, but she got to see all of us a lot. We all lived in the area. She always told us that Christmas could be celebrated any time. Plus, my Dad's birthday was on December 21st. We often got together around that time. Sorry your kiddos were sick, but we share the daughters with work commitments on holidays. We had a good time yesterday with the family gift exchange. All 15 were here. Christmas Day was nice too with 10 for the meal. We invited a cousin of the hubby and her housemate to join us. They were so appreciative and it was very nice to have them. Hubby and I decided that we will make a point of looking for more people around who don't have much family or any family to be with. Will likely take down the Christmas stuff tomorrow or Tuesday. Big hugs to you - I got the card. :-)

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    1. What a compliment!!!!! I'll be basking in that one for a while. I love your idea of inviting those who might be alone.

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  3. Nan, I'm a "go with the flow" person as well. I feel lucky to be within 30-50 min of each child. Because we have extended families, the kids and grandkids are super busy visiting far too many people and YES, kids school germs make dates subject to change. Happy New Year!

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    1. And to you! And yes, there are other families involved. Sometimes we are part of their get-togethers, but not always. We are lucky, that's for sure!

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  4. You have the best attitude. After we get Grands it is best for their Momma and Poppas to make their Christmas traditions so everyone will be happy. Each and every tradition makes for a great holiday. Cheers and best wishes.

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    1. What a nice, nice thing to say! Thanks so much.

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  5. I share that luck of having my kids and grandkids close by in Bath Township. And I like that idea of a Soltice celebration. May you and your loved ones and friends all be healthy, and happy and have a satisfying 2019!

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  6. I'm a go-with-the-flow type too, in fact we laugh that we seldom celebrate birthdays on the birthday in our family, but instead opt for celebrate whenever you can often having a birthday week or even month to get together. This was required when we lived in California and our daughter here in New Mexico. Now that we are within three miles of each other it is better, but we still have difficulty doing celebrations on the actual day! PS ... I have a crick in my neck looking at all your book titles!

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    1. Three miles! Isn't that so great!! I laughed right out loud at your last sentence!!

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  7. Nan, you make the sunniest optimist look like a grouch!😀 happy New year!

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  8. It is a brilliant idea, I've always tried to plan our family Christmas party early in the month so they'd be free to have Christmas in their own homes. This year it was on Sunday afternoon and even then our eldest couldn't make it due to sickness. We did manage to get everyone together last spring for my birthday and then totally forgot to get a group picture of the whole family.

    I've loved getting to see pictures of Christmas at Windy Poplars Farm. I love your sheep collection! I hope you keep them out year round, do you? I wrote down Karen's Christmas Walk to find for my granddaughters next year.

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    1. The book is a very special one. I love it. I don't keep the sheepys out all year. Your get-togethers this year were an inspiration for me. That's why I came up with a day. We'll see. I do know both kids felt badly it didn't happen at Windy Poplars this year.

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  9. A wonderful attitude and I'm glad you have a family that's close in all ways. Lovely! I managed to get a cold on Christmas Eve that's only now leaving me, which was annoying in the extreme, although I did scythe through a chunk of my TBR while laid up!

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  10. In my opinion, Flexibilty is key as family expands and changes, but I am sure you already knew that! Solstice sounds like a beautiful way to celebrate together.

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    1. You are so right! I hope it all works out for next year. I think before Christmas may be easier, and more Christmas-y than after. Though there is part of me that yearns for the old way, that, in fact, wasn't celebrated when I was a child. The idea of trimming the tree on Christmas Eve and having the 12 days of Christmas. Maybe one year I will do it that way.

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  11. What a lovely post! [I find it hard to believe that I've not read any ones blogs for over a year but I think it may be so?] anyway a very nice post to read and I love the photos of books [and am sure I'm not the only person to try and make out all the titles] A Solstice party sounds like a Jolly good idea!

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    1. Thank you! And I have missed you!! I hope you will begin writing again, and that everything is all good with you and your family.

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