Holiday Horizons

Now that we officially celebrate autumn, you can feel a subtle switch in the mood. Time for sweaters and jeans and possibly a burning fireplace in the evenings. There are Santas in the stores (too soon, too soon!) and I've seen some kids in hard deliberation over Halloween costumes.

Soon, it will be Thanksgiving and then Christmas, winter and snow and Ho-Ho-Ho. When you are separated in miles from family, this time of year can bring additional travel-related stresses. Some of the family is north, some south, and everyone wants a piece of the holiday festivities.

You could be tempted to allow this pressure to get to you (particularly if you happen to be my husband in recent years!) I tend to think it's a treat to have so many folks clamor for me! Think of the people alone in the world; never could that be more exhausting than at the holidays. To have too many families spread over the east coast? How could that be bad?

Yes, there are long car trips and the dogs dislike nights at the kennel. The packages sometimes get crumpled in the move, you don't have nights in your own bed, and there's always some obligatory family tension here and there. But it's all part of it.

Someday we won't all be around to spend the holidays together. Then we'll likely sit back and miss special memories and wish we could have another holiday to overeat and laugh. I think it better to appreciate those moments now, no matter the slight inconveniences. If things go the way they should, my husband and I will have our share of holidays where we will stay right here, wake up in our own beds and not have anywhere we need to go.

Won't that be sad.