Christmas Time

I miss what Christmas used to be. A time spent with family, gathered around the table eating a meal lovingly prepared by several members. This time of year just hasn't been the same for me since, well, the 1990s. I mean, yea when I was a kid it was about the presents. But let's face it, mom had to come up with some pretty interesting hiding places to keep me from snooping and finding them. I always found them. I always knew what we were getting before they were even wrapped and under the tree...until she started leaving them at her friends' homes, lol. But at some point it became about time with my family. Whether there was snow on the ground or not, I didn't care. I just wanted Christmas morning to arrive so we could pile in the car and head to grandma's!

Grandma went to heaven in 1993. Christmas has never been the same.

The family started doing their own things. Aunts and uncles became grandparents and turned their attention to their grandchildren (rightly so). And the family just kinda stopped being a family at Christmas time.

When I moved back to Florida in 2006, I was building relationships with my dad's side of the family, as an adult. We would either go to my uncle's and spend Christmas with them or to granny's to spend it with her. We eventually started spending this family day with my sister and her family: step-mom, nephews, granny, cousin, aunt and uncle. Well, when dad went to heaven in 2012 this too seemed to slow down. Sure, my cousins would invite me over. 

But it just hasn't been the same.

I long for a time when I can have a proper home (not this dinky single-wide trailer I call a home) and open it up to family for Christmas. To gather them around my table and have a meal, lovingly prepared by several members of my family. And of course, to exchange gifts and watch the excitement in the grandchildren's (grand niece's and nephew's in my case) eyes!

I pray that God will continue to bless me in that this can come to fruition.