Since Evie was born holidays have been way more important. And unfortunately for my husband, holidays were pretty important to me before. He's still having a hard time trying to cope.
Josh has spent most of the past decade living on the opposite side of the country from his family. When we met, his parents and sister all lived in California, an uncomfortable 8-hour flight away. But this wasn't weird for him. He'd served for four years in the Air Force in Little Rock Arkansas several states away from his parents. When he was growing up they had moved several times. And since he was young he hadn't lived in the same state with any of his grand parents or other extended family. He had grandparents in California, Idaho and New Hampshire. Cousins in Arizona and California and Tennessee and Connecticut and South Carolina. So really, they're all over the place. And he's used to that. He's used to not seeing family for the holidays. Accustomed to not talking to them very often or seeing them only once in awhile.
Until age 6 or 7, I lived a short walk from my grand parents and great grand parents. There's a picture of me from shortly after birth being held by my great great grandmother. Nearly all of my family lives in Virginia. Most of them in the Appalachian mountains of southwestern Virginia. Yes...I'm one of those poor Appalachian hillbillies. I'm okay with it. Proud of it even. We're a proud people. Don't push it.
My great grandparents lived until I was in college. I still have my grandparents. No one has really spread out any, even today. I was used to birthdays having several generations of family, including cousins and family friends. Every holiday involved getting together at one family's house for a home-cooked meal. Summers were spent on my great grandparents' farm riding around with Pa Booker on the tractor, riding horses, playing in the hay loft at my Grandpa's barn, playing in the orchard, helping Ma Mary in the garden. All the "men folk" would come in from farm work for lunch, which Ma Mary cooked for them everyday. My great uncle, second cousin, grandfather and great grandfather all trooped in, washed their hands and sat around the table discussing farming and local gossip. Until I was an adolescent we all went to the same church every Sunday and saw each other on at least weekly.
Even when I went away to college I spoke to my mom every day. Called my grandparents regularly. Continued the family holiday traditions. Now I live only 20 minutes from my mom. Only 40 minutes from my grandparents, though I don't see them as often as I wish I did.
Holidays have always been spent with family. And each holiday has its own traditions. I can remember making sugar cookies with my mom and decorating the tree to happy jingles for Christmas. Coloring eggs and doing egg hunts for Easter. The huge lunch for Thanksgiving. Cooking out for the Fourth of July and watching fireworks.
Now that I have kids of my own I have worked to make sure they have memorable holidays as well. I want us to create our own traditions for our children to remember fondly. Some stuff I will wait to start til they get older. Like a sunrise service on Easter. Or midnight mass on Christmas. I don't really want to drag an infant and toddler to either of those.
Holidays with kids just mean more. I have loved buying Christmas presents for Evie the last two years. They have been the best Christmases! We colored eggs last year, but of course Evie was only seven months old. So she mostly just dumped the colors out. I'm looking forward to coloring eggs with her tomorrow. Of course she's still just going to make a huge mess. But it'll be fun nonetheless.
I really look forward to future years and teaching her about the meaning behind holidays like Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July. Taking time from our busy lives and celebrating holidays like Earth Day and Memorial Day, Martin Luther King Jr Day and Columbus Day with fun little crafts and stuff. I remember the holidays meaning so much to me when I was little. I'm going to make sure they're important to my kids as well!
My poor husband is learning to deal.
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