“Hey Mom, I’m not going to come home for the holidays.”
Cringe!
You know the minute those words leave your mouth, all hell is going to break loose. It’s something most of us have thought about… trading out the chaos of a visit with fam for the comforts of staying put. If you’ve ever wanted to ditch the annual festivities, but never had the guts to actually do it, well this year might be your chance!
Let’s face it, nothing about 2020 has been normal. Might as well turn a bad into a good… bring on the pandemic hall pass. Don’t get me
wrong, I love my family and cherish our time together, but I’ve started CHOOSING when I see them. You know, finding moments when I can actually catch up with them without being drowned out by screaming kids and tvs blasting.
In my opinion, there’s no better breeding ground for stress than a large family gathering. Everyone’s crowded around the table, feeling bad about how much food they just shoveled in. Half of them fought in the car on the way over, while the rest are raring to update you on what’s important to them. You know, fun topics like politics and religion!
Listen, your time is valuable. Do you really want to spend one of your only days off surrounded by this craziness? NO!
Then it’s settled – we’re staying home. So now what? Well, it’s time to start your own traditions. By definition, a tradition is a custom or belief that is passed down through the generations or that is done time after time or year after year.
You have an entirely clean slate from which to build out awesome memories. Take your time and really think through it… what makes YOU happy? What fresh experiences do you want to carry on with your family in YOUR home?
When it comes to my crew, we’ve set a few ground rules heading into the holidays:
- I’m not a huge turkey fan… crab legs it is!
- No oysters in my dressing ever again!
- No leaving the house to run around town or shop.
For you, maybe your celebration becomes an annual ski trip. Or maybe it’s something much more laid back, like a dinner-and-a-movie marathon. Whatever path you decide take, let it be the beginning of something that sparks stories for decades to come. After all, Aunt Pam will keep doing the same dinner, same time, and same place… just in case you ever want to go back.
