Connect
← Return to Holidays are not happy, family times for everyone
Discussion
Holidays are not happy, family times for everyone
Just Want to Talk | Last Active: Dec 25, 2021 | Replies (56)Comment receiving replies
Well, it may be a little late to start this discussion again, but I’m sure that everyone has excellent ideas to share!
You know, the holidays aren’t what TV and commercials show it to be. For most of us it is a quiet time with family. But not everyone has a close family. And, because of the covid changing everything, even close families might not be so close at the moment. This might be a good time for us to share how we made the holidays special for ourselves and others. I’ll start.
As an army brat and army wife, i can remember so many occasions when it was just our little family at holiday time. But, we decided to share the day with others who also didn’t have family around. In Germany, we included a group of soldiers on Christmas; in Boston, my husband got the other grad students together and we had a pot luck Thanksgiving with all the foreign students; in New York the students couldn’t go home for Thanksgiving, so we had them to our house; in Virginia we sponsored 2 foreign officers and included them in all our activities. We had such fun and it made the days brighter and less lonely.
Can you share any traditions you have started that make your holidays less lonely.
What have you and a friend discussed that you can do to make a new tradition?
What tips would you give someone else?
Replies to "Well, it may be a little late to start this discussion again, but I’m sure that..."
Becky, your stories about Christmas dinner for service men reminds me of many years ago when our family hosted 8 men from Great Lakes Naval Academy for Christmas day at our house. That was one of the best Christmases I can remember, not for anything material, but for the warmth and good feelings of simply spreading joy among some guys who could not go home or who didn't have a family that they could go home to.
This year on Christmas, I do have some chores to do feeding horses where my horses are boarded. I plan to sing some Christmas songs to them. I think they really like that because they like when you talk to them. All of them get excited and welcome me (about 20 of them) when I bring them their dinner. They are pasture boarded, so I will be outside walking around to their paddocks and hoping for nicer weather.
If you don't have horses, dogs and cats might enjoy a nice concert of Christmas songs. I know my cats like it when I sing! They cock their heads and look at me. Singing also makes me feel good.
Connect
Find something that is meaningful to you. Don't try to "follow the crowd" and then perhaps be disappointed.
We don't have family nearby. Last year and this, we chose to help people in this little town who may not have much to spare for holiday enjoyment. It was done anonymously, which for us was the delightful surprise. I also gave donations to my two favorite charitable causes.
Ginger