3 Christmases

So! The holiday madness has wound down, the fever pitch of travel and subsequent drive lag (and car sickness) subsided, the Christmas decorations are all packed away and now the house looks so bland and empty. Packing up Christmas always seems sad to me. What would the holidays be without Christmas lights and nativity scenes (or the obnoxious inflatable Christmas icons) warming the outside of dreary, bleak landscape of winter with naked trees and dead lawns? Even if you're not particularly religious, something about the holidays brings warmth and a reminder of cheer.

A little bit of glee (okay, a LOT) always makes me giddy when, on a cold evening after work, Vin and I start up the stove, have hardy meals and relax with a brightly lit tree. Seeing happy snowmen and penguins on the holiday decor always makes me smile.

We can blame the recent economic temperature for the 'getting back to basics' holiday season. So what, the retailers are suffering. What's flourishing? Family. Simple times and a simple ways. Since Vin and I weren't doing the Big Holiday Madness Dash and splurging, we instead made pumpkin rolls for family and exchanged jam. Family members on Vin's side made soap and bath salts (how cool is that?) and gave that out.

We traveled to Vin's Dad's and visited the family down there over dinner on Christmas Eve, then we traveled up to his Aunt's and had Christmas lunch there, then to my family's for Christmas Dinner. It was really nice to enjoy the quality time, the laughs, the stories and the food. Without being hung up on other things. I'm sensing a new tradition!