Holiday Traditions

Christmas Trees and stockings. Cookies and milk.

I can't help but write at least one little blog about this great season.

Bringing family together--let's be realistic--can certainly TRY a person.

Maybe Uncle Reggie's drinking gets out of control.

Maybe Sally brings home a total loser and expects everyone to welcome him with open arms.

Perhaps, little Ted is sick this year or Grandma just passed away last month.

I've been getting to know Stacy Gerard over the last few weeks. She was telling me about her and Nathan's first Christmas ever.

Let's face it, Penny, she said. Blending two lives is never easy!

He wanted to go camping! Was I game? Not really. I like camping enough, as a matter of fact, I enjoy it. But this was Christmas. I wanted a tree that I could decorate, stocking to stuff. My parents to visit and a nice meal.

Things went in my favor that year. There were still hearts in his eyes, I guess... maybe he was just blinded by lust! :D [her infectious laugh filled the phone line] But next year, his vision was clearer, and we did end up camping.

You know what? It was fun, and it was for us... no one else. A new tradition that we could share with the kids who came that year. Don't get me wrong, we don't camp every year. At first we went back and forth. Then as life got busier and Nathan was traveling more for work, we just did it when we could.

We bring one bag of presents to share and cook the family meal over an open fire. Some coffee and a good dose of Bailey's keep us toasty warm through the night and into the next day. If the weather is good, we pull out our hiking boots and find a place to picnic on Christmas day.

It's been a while since we've done that... I think three years ago.

I'm hoping for another trip this year. It would be the perfect end to an otherwise, surprising and unsettling year.

I wished her a Merry Christmas as our conversation ended.

She is right about new traditions and family.

Maybe it's time for me to start something new, too!