Every year I get excited to come home for Thanksgiving and Christmas to be with my family even just for a few days to relax. This holiday season has been different, as my family is very spread out this year.
This Thanksgiving, I did not come home as my brother, Matt, now works in Charlotte, NC after graduating with his Pharm-D from the University of South Carolina in May. We decided to travel to North Carolina to be with him as he did not have that many days off from work.
My other brother, Stephen, was still living in California during Thanksgiving with his wife, Katie, and daughter, Brynn. We did not get to see them, but we were able to FaceTime them to wish them a happy Thanksgiving and such.
My grandmother traveled up from Florida to be with my parents, brother, and myself in North Carolina for Thanksgiving.
It has always been a full house for Thanksgiving at my parents' house. As we get older, it may not be that way every year. Being the youngest child, I have a front row seat to this change. Not only was Thanksgiving different from years past, but Christmas this year is slightly different as well.
This Christmas is just like any other Christmas in the sense that we are celebrating the religious aspects of the holiday. Though, for me, Christmas is different regarding the family aspects as well. In the past, our whole family has been together to celebrate the holiday. This year, just like Thanksgiving, we are not.
Stephen just moved to Florida and had another baby girl on December 20, so they are not traveling this holiday season. Matt again has to work, and my grandma is staying in Florida to be with her brother and Stephen.
My parents and I are in Virginia for the holiday. Just my parents and me. This is weird. We are a very family oriented family which is why we will be traveling to Florida to see everyone after the holiday before New Years. Do not get me wrong, I love when the attention is on me, but dang I never thought I would be the only one home for Christmas.
In previous years, even if my brothers had to leave the day or two after Christmas, I always had Gibson to hang with. This year it is really just me.
As the years pass and siblings get older, the holiday dynamics will change. It feels very weird but I know I have to accept that we are not little kiddos anymore. I am sad the times of me jumping on my brothers at 6 a.m. are over, but I will just live vicariously through the little ones in my family.
For me, I will continue watching Christmas movies with my mom while we make our Christmas cookies and wear the exact same pajamas.
Oh, and my entire family now has the SAME grinch sweatshirt... be on the lookout of our selfie in front of the Christmas tree!
Happy Holidays.
