This week my Facebook newsfeed was flooded with Cole Swindell's latest hit. As a country fan, I automatically feel in love. Whether you love country music or not, this is a song and music video that you don't want to miss.

'Tis the season where we run around like chickens without heads on as we hunt for the best gifts, the perfect Christmas ugly sweater, and stand in endless grocery store lines for our Christmas meal. For some of us, the holidays have taken a new meaning.

This Christmas some will set one less plate at their table and, for some, they have been doing this for years. For my family we will be celebrating Christmas without five family members. On my dad's side of the family it is now our tradition to visit my grandfather and Uncle Jack's grave near the holiday. My mom buys a Christmas log to place on their graves every year. It is our way of bringing Christmas to them. On my mom's side of the family we celebrate without my grandma, grandpa, and cousin Little Gary.

While we didn't spend every Christmas with each of these people, it doesn't make their presence unknown. When I was a little girl we spent Christmas next door at my mom's parents house. While the house wasn't overly big, the majority of my mom's siblings and their children would cram together to watch basketball, eat roast, and share stories.

We didn't need a big house because the family was obnoxious and overbearing, but isn't that what family is? Following our excellent meal cooked mostly by my aunts and grandmother, I would usually embark on my first-holiday adventure with my cousins.

On my mom's side of the family I was the baby, besides my cousin Zach everyone was a lot older than me. I remember this one time that my cousin Gary decided that we should go to the park. I think that Gary could drive at this point, but maybe not, either way Gary, his little brother Zach, my other cousins Timmy and Jeff, and myself went to the park.

Being the oldest, Gary told me to listen to him and I had the best day at the park with my cousins. Gary held my hand when I was scared going down the slide and pushed me on the swing, but only high enough that I didn't think that I would fall off. Even when I did slip and I got a stain on my new outfit he told me that it was okay to cry. He even took the blame for the stain when we got back (I was thankful because I got goldfish).

That day is one of the few things that I remember, but I think it is the way that Gary would have wanted to be remembered. He helped people a lot, especially me. The last Christmas that my grandmother was alive we went to stay with him and his brother. When my grandmother wasn't feeling good he would bring both of us food.

Those Christmas I remember fondly, they stopped though when my grandmother passed away in 2011. Christmas became another day. It was too much to gather as a family anymore. It was too painful to think of all that we had lost. Those Christmases were the best. They were the one day that we could all be together. I miss those traditions, but with life there comes death and with death there comes new life.

So now my parents focus on providing us with similar traditions. We still go to mass on Christmas Eve. This year, instead of my dad cooking lobster (my mom's dad started this tradition), we will eat out. We will visit each of my relatives at the cemetery and we will enjoy our roast (now cooked by my dad).

So I urge you to pause for a second and think about what really matters this Christmas season. If I had one wish in this world it would be for my loved ones to be here with us, but wishes don't work like that. Instead, I am going to be grateful for the time and traditions that I got. I am proud of each of them and the lives that they lead.

My Christmas message to all of us is, "Be kind. Have patience. Don't assume things. Everyone handles things differently. Christmas isn't about presents or ugly sweaters or even food it is about honoring each of your family members. So squeeze your family a little tighter this holiday and be thankful that they still fill a seat at your table."

Here is a link to Cole Swindell's new hit, it is perfect for all of those grieving the loss of a loved one this holiday.

Happy holidays to all of you.