What use to be a really exciting time at our house with five children years past, is now less exciting for me as I grow into my elder years.
This time of year can get very depressing for people. I understand that now with an empty nest feeling at home and just my dear husband and I. It does get depressing. All ou7r children are now grown adults with families of their own and are scattered throughout different States and not easy for them to travel.
Each one of them would love to have us come for Christmas but at our age we get settled in our own routines. Besides, it is about time while they are young and have children to have their own traditions for Christmas and holidays. Yes, it would be nice if all fifteen or more of us lived in the same city where it would be easier to get together. It is not like the days when I was young and we all lived in the same town and could visit with each other.
I do reminisce a lot, one of the priviledges of getting older. Remembering Christmases past when the Christmas Tree was put up on Christmas Eve and large scenes under the tree with a train blowing smoke circling cities and little people in miniataure on a platform of snow and icicles. This was all done by Dad on Christmas Eve but we were told that Santa not only brought toys and clothes but a tree. It truly was a scene from the Christmas cards you receive with almost the same scene on them. Times change don't they. My children say that to me a lot.
Even church services which were at 11PM on Christmas Eve and at 12 midnight we all surrounded the inside of the church holding candles that were lit to celebrate the reason for this season, all but a few do that anymore. People are too much in a hurry to wait until 11 PM to go to church service to celebrate the birth of Jesus. They would rather go at 6 or 7P.M. as they have last minute shopping to do, if they go at all. Not the same.
I don't mean to sound crabby, however I can be at this age.
Will the children now who are getting presents of cell phones, electronic games, IPAD's (my favorite), and seeing the tree up all two weeks before Christmas, remember anything about it when they reach the age of elderness. I like that word "elderness". I can't bring myself to say "old".
I remember the carols being song by a group of 5 or 6 strolling down the street and people inviting them in. No kidding, this is not a movie or a card it really happened during the 1900's for probably 60 years for those of you not of my age. Then the 70's came and a lot of celebrations changed.
So, what I wonder, will my adult children and their children have to look back on with nostalgia.
Traditions? Do they still string popcorn for the tree?
Merry Christmas, Seasons Greeting to you all. and "Ho Ho HO"
Traditions are changing. So much depends on the individual family now. Many people in neighborhoods all seemed to have the same values an traditions once. But today the variety is much greater. I don't think we can say what kids will remember in 50 years. All we can do is try to make happy memories for them.
ReplyDeleteYour header picture is especially beautiful.
We will try our best to keep memories alive as long as we can
DeleteThanks June. Took photo one morning I thought it was snow at first.
Stringing popcorn...my daughter did that when she was young..like 5 (she's almost 40 now. Anyway, she sat on the couch stringing along as the dog lay on the floor pulling it off the string and munching as it came off. Funny memory.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter will have those memories. My grandsons (17 & 15) will have some good ones too, b ut mostly because we have the holidays at my house and I keep them going. I can only hope that I have made the holidays special and they will want to also for their own families some day.
Life is changing, just as it did from our parents to us. And we think for the worse, just as our parents did. Growing elder is hard to adjust to. I'm still 20 until I look in the mirror.
Happy Holidays
arol