I have never truly experienced “Home for the Holidays” until this year. I no longer live at home and am 1,000 miles away in a different state at that. I went from 24/7 wanted/unwanted family time to a couple times a year. That being said, I needed to know how to fully embrace this concept of being home. Who gets 3 weeks of uninterrupted family and friends time? (Well not really me because I picked up a job like a broke college kid.) I’ve come up with a list of the top 10 things to take full advantage of when being “Home for the Holidays”.
Ma
MAMAAAAA OOOO OOOOOO!!! Oh, how you are the apple of my eye, the ringing in my ears, the one who gives me life and sometimes also to my death. Did I mention I love ya? I am blessed to have a mama that loves me tremendously, so much in fact it comes with that great phrase, “You would rather hear it from me, your mother, than a stranger.” Ma doesn’t cook so much anymore, but oh man does she bake, and what better time of year to have that in your life! I hope to one day do that same from my kiddos and just shimmy in their face saying “I got it from my mama”.
Dogs (Da Gurls)
I love my girls. Guys, I have 3 dogs. They are perfect. They make me 20 minutes late to everything, all my black clothes gain unwanted fur, and they never make me self-conscious about my own breath. I don’t think I could ever love a child the same way as I love my girls (I have made them the cover of this article for you to fully appreciate them as well).
No Car
You have every right to be as lazy as possible. The television is yours, your bed is your kingdom, your butt… well it will probably be 10x bigger from never moving these next couple of weeks.
The Filled Fridge
A full fridge of food you have not had to go shop for or budget for or space out to make it through the next couple days without breaking your budget. Life is good.
Dad’s Wallet
I love you daddy.
Walking Around Naked
Anyone just miss walking to the kitchen to get a glass of water without having to cover up? I tried this once back at school… it didn’t go well.
Splitting Laundry
I have plenty of family members and we are all dirty people all with dirty clothes. We divide and conquer in this house with the miscellaneous tasks that come with doing laundry, so that no one person is stuck in the house doing all their loads in one day because it’s their laundry day. Also, you don’t have to worry about running into laundry conflict with roommates. I’m usually the one causing this conflict so I am out of the war for the next couple of weeks.
Friends
If you’ve got them, great. If you don’t, don’t worry! You’ll go back to the new school ones soon!
Free Time
Quite frankly, I forgot such a thing existed having 10 classes this past semester. So use and abuse this time friends, take naps, eat food, walk it off, heck don’t walk it off--who cares you have free time.
Family Dinners
I don’t know about you guys, but I love my family dinners, they are a hoot. Someone ends up telling a story. Someone gets mad about it. Someone laughs at them for being mad. Someone else gets mad at that person getting mad. Then everyone yells for a second and then everyone laughs and then its onto the next story. If you haven’t been a part of a DellaMaggiore family dinner, you should stop by sometime.
Everyone’s holiday plans are different though, but everyone (at least at BSU) has 3 weeks off so enjoy it!
