Many families have traditions and annual customs that come around this time of year. For most, Christmas or New Year wouldn't be the same without them. Some families make a birthday cake for Jesus, visit their entire family in a foreign country, go caroling, participate in a Winter celebration event, or always make gingerbread houses with their neighbors. It's a time for fellowship and joy.

But many people see the Holiday Season as a time of stress, disappointment, or sadness. Some families don't see each other anymore. Some people don't have their family around anymore. Gifts have to be bought and wrapped. You keep telling yourself that it's a special occasion so you can afford to do that even though you really can't.

My family has never been able to keep traditions for the holidays. (Unless you count last minute shopping and wrapping as a tradition!) Some years we had more money than others, and we were in different places with our relationships and lives.

Family is tough. Life is tough. Holidays are tougher. People have become so concerned with making sure that everyone gets what they asked for, that the turkey was cooked right, that grandma doesn't sit next to Cousin Thomas or Aunt Hilda, and that this "Best Christmas Ever" is documented with love and laughter. But the truth of the matter is that no one really believes your family is perfect anyway. So why strive to make it look that way? When you devote your time to making sure everything is perfect and according to plan, you miss out on what this season is for.

My family may not always get along or understand each other. We may not have traditions that we keep up with each year. Things go wrong, plans get sidelined, and joy is sometimes put on the back burner. But there have also been good moments. We had a frozen pizza on Christmas Eve one year because it was all we felt like cooking. We tried video taping our dog unwrapping the bone we got her and accidentally forgot to hit record. I remember getting up super early on Christmas Day to open presents with my mom before she had to go to work, and then I remember spending the rest of the day with my sister playing with my new dolls when I knew she would rather have been playing her new Xbox game. I also remember not getting things I'd asked for and not continuing traditions I was excited to have.

Christmas doesn't always go right. Family doesn't always come through. But the key to enjoying this time that everyone else seems to be enjoying is to do what you love with the people you love. If the people you love are far away, call them, think about them, and try to make your memories of being with them excite you for the new year!

Another trip around the sun, is that what they say? Who knew this 2,016-year roadtrip would get so difficult after awhile? But that's space travel for yah.