"society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they will never see"
- James Kerr, Legacy
- James Kerr, Legacy
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| A photo after an intimate family dinner on Christmas Eve. |
First it means cleaning up the house and preparing the foods. The meal will be one of mom's favorites including ham, potatoes, carrots, squash, macaroni and cheese, salad, bread, and ice cream sundaes and cookies for dessert.
Then it means welcoming our family members with an approximate age range of 80 years.
We'll spend time sharing stories over cheese and crackers, then sit down to share the meal, and after that exchange gifts, enjoy dessert, and have a Yankee Swap.
The day will likely pass quickly as a long held tradition is honored again.
As I prepare for the festivities, I am reminded of my son's words last night when he relayed the importance of tradition, and the way the author of the book Legacy expounds on that. I will also think about Kerr's quote from the top of this page and how this family tradition over time will help to build a strong, loving, happy family into the future.
The holiday began last night with an intimate dinner with our closest family members and an exchange of gifts. The gift giving is always a bit tricky because it's difficult to find those just-right gifts that fit the budget and please your loved ones. As I watched family members open their treasures, I realized that the more you listen and pay attention to those you love, the better you are able to choose that just-right surprise, a surprise that takes lead time to save for, find, wrap, and share.
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| A young family member is a bit overwhelmed by all his older cousins and friends. |
As I think about this, I realize that this yearly celebration is integral to our family togetherness--it's a time to come together to celebrate our family, to hear each other's stories, and to provide both support and cheer related to the events relayed.
I also know that the people that come to celebrate today may not be able to be here next year for all kinds of reasons so it's important to appreciate their presence today--to welcome them warmly and value the time we spend together.
I recognize that this celebration will evolve too, and I want to be open to that knowing that no matter where we celebrate and with whom, the celebration will include the joy of being together, games, good food, storytelling, warmth, and fun.
Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! I wish all well on this day of peace and joy.