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The Magic of Christmas

As a kid, Christmas was full of magic -- gifts and family dinners and games and all those traditions we held to. As an adult in a Jewish family, I still wanted to offer this magic of the season to our girls. And to me, even as an adult, I was still awed by the magic that the Christmas season brings. Mostly, the gift of pulling all my sisters and brother -- with their growing families -- together under one roof to spend time together. There's magic to be found sitting around the dining room table, looking at those beloved faces and sharing stories and a glass of wine. And cookies.

The house we bought and the 8-foot dining room table I found was influenced by the promise of these holidays spent together. 

My Siblings, the Last Time We Were All Together ... 2013
So this year, we made sure to buy our flight home from Paris so we didn't miss out on that special family time. Unfortunately, the sisters and brother will not be coming together this year. They will be with their in-laws or not traveling. And I'm heartbroken anticipating the quiet week we'll spend just the four of us with my Mom. 

Sure, we'll follow the traditions. We'll bake lots of cookies -- more than we'll ever eat. And enjoy a few special meals together. We'll probably watch a few Christmas movies. And we'll call the other family members to hear about their celebrations. I certainly don't begrudge them their time spent with their husbands' families and in their own homes. Traveling for Christmas means missing out on the kids waking up in their own beds to see what Santa brought. I can appreciate that. But I'll miss them all.

Maybe it's time to find a different vacation week in the year to get together. Or change our time together to New Year's Eve instead. I don't know. I'm just anticipating a very quiet, nonmagical, end of December and I don't like it one bit. 
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