Pianissimo

Arya napping on Josh.

Christmas felt funny/odd this year. Emma and Nate are in Kentucky visiting Nate's mom, so we had already planned that we would do Christmas present-opening when they return this weekend. But we (Josh and I) didn't really have any other plan for Christmas morning.

That's not entirely true. We picked up my mom and brought her over to Sophie and Paul's house to see the Christmas tree and eat french toast. Mom was enchanted with their new dog, June, and gave dog-handling advice non-stop the entire visit.

But I was feeling fussy, to be perfectly honest. I couldn't wait to take Mom back home and just not have to DEAL. She was super disconnected from reality and, just, I don't know...I was fussy.

When we finally got back to our own house, there wasn't really anything to do. No new sweaters to wear or new books to read. No mess to clean up. I suppose we could have worked on the household budget or cleaned out the closets or caught up on the laundry. Or gone for a walk or volunteered in a homeless shelter or, I don't know, picked up trash in the park? Taken down the Christmas decorations?

Instead, I took a long nap with Pushkin. Later, we went to our friends' house for dinner, which is usually a boisterous affair with lots of drinking and debauchery but even that was low-key.

I need to plan better for next year. I guess we need to create new traditions.

I know I sound a little Debby Downer-ish. Sorry about that. I'm just a little off right now. 

Comments

[Maureen]

This must be hard. My daughter is still in college, so we our able to continue our normal Christmas traditions, but I know at some point she will want to start making her own holiday plans.

I am so happy you are blogging again, I check almost every day in the hope you might have posted. You have been missed!

[Swistle]

We had one Christmas where we celebrated later in order to be with family, and I felt so cranky and out of sorts on the day itself. Nothing felt like the right thing to do, because the only right thing to do was celebrate Christmas and we weren't going to do that until later.

[Margaret]

Believe me, I know EXACTLY how you feel. New traditions are decent. We went to a film on Christmas Day and it was distracting. I always feel down after Christmas, but this time, I never got "up." It was definitely a nice time, better than last year, but the activities have to be planned out.

[Erin]

Our Christmas was a little weird too. If I had a blog I think the entry would be tagged trainwreck. Heavy snow. Busted car. Snow ticket. Little sis. Big sis. Red shovel. Suggestion where to put that shovel. Neighbors. Good times folks! But we got back on the tracks after my insisting no more drama and saying I sure hope they can work it out. They did. Ironically several weeks before I had purchased ice scrapers for each of their stockings. They busted out laughing opening them.

[Cathy S.]

Health issues, an adult son that needs to move out, another that could not be here for Christmas, aging parents and that Spector that accompanies them making me wonder if THIS will be their last year with us. Family drama-a sister in law upset with her adult child who us finally moving into her own new life. Yes this was not the Christmas of old. But I think it helped me look to what's really important. Hope this weekend with your girls is wonderful!

[Laura]

Babe, our new tradition, when we are faced with a weird, off Christmas, is the bowling alley. It opens Christmas Day (in our town) at 3:00, and it slowly gets packed to the gills. We had 14 people on 3 lanes, bowling for 4 hours. It was all our friends with (1) grown children elsewhere, or (2) grown children at home for a few hours, who didn't want to spend the afternoon just looking at each other and blinking. I highly recommend it, as I hate unstructured free time. Bowling alleys tend to have full bars, too, and ours has a wonderful grill that has been run by the same person for 40 years.

My kid spent Christmas Day on his skateboard on Venice Beach, the little bastard. Trying to ruin mom's Christmas.

[kirs (lowercase)]

here is something for you to read by connie schultz. deals with this exact thing. i have one child.. he is 14 now. i know that the first time he does not spend christmas with us i will die a little inside.. but i know it will happen.. my m-i-l died a bit over a year ago and she was christmas if you know what i mean.. the last 2 christmas' have been hard.. this one a bit better and next will be better i guess. family changes.. not always the way we like. anyway.. glad to see you blogging a bit and here is the link to the column..
http://www.parade.com/238978/connieschultz/you-wont-be-home-for-christmas/

[Heidi]

Just a little off is understandable. It's odd making adjustments to traditions. Me, I spent Christmas all by my lonesome - and absolutely LOVED IT! Life keeps changing, and I guess the best way to approach it is to do the best I can and be thankful for what I have. I hope you're having a wonderful weekend with your family.

[Margaret]

It's a tough transition when our regular/joyful Christmas day no longer exists.

Ours was blah - But I'm still Thankful that Baby Jesus is here.

[Gretchen]

Sorry you felt out of sorts on Christmas - that's no fun. Ours is always a little like that because it's just the 2 of us, and then we do the big family Christmas on the weekend after Christmas. So.. I don't know. I usually try to just relax - no chores on a holiday, nap, hang out with the pets... It's different, but not bad. So Happy New Year!

[Margaret]

tee-hee - This certainly a long nap he's taking. :)

Be careful out there. This Winter has been dangerous for those who need to be on the roads.