Christmas has been getting smaller for quite a few years and I thought I was prepared, but....
We've always celebrated holidays with 4 families, and two of them have moved away. The two families remaining have gotten smaller as kids grow up and aren't always home, etc. This year the other family will all be out of town so it was going to be just us. I know one son will be home and I thought (assumed, my bad) the other son and his girl friend would be coming either for the night if they wanted to go to Christmas Eve church with us or maybe just Christmas Day for dinner. Last I heard (when we talked about it at Thanksgiving) they were planning to come. I just found out they are going to make other plans and start new traditions. OK.
I thought I was prepared for my kids to do this. They'd have trips planned, they'd move away, they'd have work, they'd have in-laws to celebrate with. I guess it didn't occur to me they'd just decide they just plain didn't want to either come over or invite us over. We already planned our trip to visit extended family for a different time knowing our kids wouldn't be going with us for that.
This son only lives an hour away and is not engaged or living with his girlfriend, so the "establishing our own traditions" caught me really off guard.
I guess I'm taking down the stockings I just hung yesterday. Looking at them is making me feel bad!
I've always prided myself on being very laid back, but guess I'm one of "those moms" that can't let go.
I'm just really caught off guard!
Be gentle with me, I know they have every right to do this! It's just so unexpected this year that my feelings are very tender.
So - what do we do on Christmas Day with only 3 people?
We've always celebrated holidays with 4 families, and two of them have moved away. The two families remaining have gotten smaller as kids grow up and aren't always home, etc. This year the other family will all be out of town so it was going to be just us. I know one son will be home and I thought (assumed, my bad) the other son and his girl friend would be coming either for the night if they wanted to go to Christmas Eve church with us or maybe just Christmas Day for dinner. Last I heard (when we talked about it at Thanksgiving) they were planning to come. I just found out they are going to make other plans and start new traditions. OK.
I thought I was prepared for my kids to do this. They'd have trips planned, they'd move away, they'd have work, they'd have in-laws to celebrate with. I guess it didn't occur to me they'd just decide they just plain didn't want to either come over or invite us over. We already planned our trip to visit extended family for a different time knowing our kids wouldn't be going with us for that.
This son only lives an hour away and is not engaged or living with his girlfriend, so the "establishing our own traditions" caught me really off guard.
I guess I'm taking down the stockings I just hung yesterday. Looking at them is making me feel bad!
I've always prided myself on being very laid back, but guess I'm one of "those moms" that can't let go.
I'm just really caught off guard!
Be gentle with me, I know they have every right to do this! It's just so unexpected this year that my feelings are very tender.
So - what do we do on Christmas Day with only 3 people?