Holidays just aren't the same as they where when we were children. I don't mean the amount of presents, it's more the lack of family unity. I can remember so many Christmas' where our entire family and extended family would gather at My mam-maw and pap-paws home for Christmas dinner and of course the opening of all the presents.
And of course a trip to Gran's house for lunch and presents with Mom's side of the family. It wasn't so much the presents as just spending time with people with didn't always get to see.
But people pass away and kids grow up and have their own families and things just change, not always for the best. I always thought that when my Gran passed that my mom would take charge and demand that we continue the family tradition of Christmas together, just at her house instead of at the old home place. Instead everyone goes their own way and we rarely see anyone on Christmas at all.
While I understand the need for people to want to create their own holiday traditions, it seems that all it does is pull families farther apart. I want my nieces and my grandchildren to have what I had growing up.Knowing that Christmas meant spending the day with their cousins eating dinner with their entire extended families and opening presents together and just being kids. I miss that more than anything.
Instead this year, Christmas Day me, my parents and one of my aunt and uncles went to the local Italian restaurant for an early dinner.Then the next day we went to my daughters house so that the Grands could open their presents.
While I was happy to see everyone it just wasn't the same as we were never all together.Oh well, there's always next year.