Santa came early to our house this year. But the decorations will remain up till January 6th.
Yes, you read that correctly, Santa came early. My son is already in Ontario with my family, and after a visit with them, he will then head to spend time with his father and his family. As hard as it is to be an empty nester, I’m happy for my son to have this special time with his extended family. Especially his aging grandparents.
I treasure every chance I get to be with him even if we aren’t doing anything. It’s special because he’s here with me. This year we got to decorate the tree and house as a family. He’s been away at university, so this was extra special for me. We spent our 4 days reading together, watching Christmas movies, playing a family board game, and he built his Christmas lego while I tried to work on my new novel.
I learned two valuable lessons early in life. One from my maternal grandfather. He always told me to pop in, even if it was only for five minutes to say hi and I love you. He understood how busy we were but at least those quick visits told him we remembered him and loved him. And the second one was from my mother. She always told us that whatever day we were together as a family to celebrate a holiday that was the day for her.
So, for me, I’ve had my Christmas. My heart is full. The rest of December will be spent working on my new novel and doing some crafts.
We have one more gift left. This one will be the gift of time and love. We will spend December 24th eating dinner with those who have no family.
Merry Christmas to you and your family. May you be blessed abundantly.
Tanya Packer 