Another Christmas

Another Christmas has come, and just about gone. It was a good time with the family again. The wife thinks she has to keep making Christmas meals for the family. It wears her out. We are no spring chickens anymore. We have grown kids, that can take over the task. It's a tradition she just can't give up. After her bladder cancer this year, I'm just glad she can still do it I guess. I hope you all had a Merry Christmas, and Santa brought you that special tractor, or part. The new year is just around the corner. Stan

This year ended a tradition we had of me doing the Christmas meal and then taking to my mom house a mile away by driveway. My mom felt she could no longer handle the work and stress of doing it at her home any more. But she is 95 and will be 96 on Feb 16th. So I know how you feel and today seem odd. Only 3 of us live close to mom now so make it harder to do things any how

We use to have a huge Christmas at Grandma and Grandpas. They had 9 kids I believe. Grandma died many years ago and the family fell apart.
Christmas hasn't been the same since. We also had a family reunion every year. That also ended. She was a very special lady. I hope that your family stays close. To me it's really about celebrating our savior and the children. I hope everyone teaches them that it's not all about presents.

Things sure change as we age, but if we take their effort away they feel worse than if they were tired. From every angle we just need to make all appreciated. Jim

We too are getting past the years of cooking for everyone. This year my wife finally told the daughters and Grand daughters she was not cooking Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. We have a Grand Daughter and her husband and 4 month son living with us temporarily she did both dinners and did a darned good job of it including the pies and cookies. Grandma and I did nothing and believe me, they both enjoyed it. My wife is the type that didn't want anyone messing with her kitchen but now she enjoys giving advice on how she always made this or that. Makes me feel a lot better knowing she isn't worn out when it's all done too.

I understand this situation. My wife and I are the youngest in our respective families, and live in a big old farm house. It is a silly big old house, has two living rooms, and the main kitchen is just a tad over 22 feet long. Perfect for hosting large family get togethers. We had my wife?s family last week 24 sat down for dinner. Next week my family will come, could be 30 or more. The torch was passed to us over a decade ago. We have a wonderful time

This is a situation that is repeated many times across farming country. It was a long established tradition at this farm. My mother did hosting for many years. Then my wife took over that responsibility for many years. Now I am 84 and my wife is 78 with senile dementia, so this year our daughter had to take over. Sadly, time marches on.

We had that same conversation last night.

Wife was worn out and angry.

After spending days preparing Christmas dinner the guests scarfed it down in a matter of seconds, left the table. Conversation was difficult because of a screaming crying 2 year old. One son in law refused to come to the table because he didn't like anything being served. No one offers to help with the clean up.

Same thing happened at Thanksgiving...

I'm going to try to talk her into down sizing the events next year.

Passengers on a working ship must pay fare to ride. Probably never listens to other's point of view either. Entitlement is a dangerous philosophy to hold. Jim

Well said Mr.Nicholson.

And we are privelged.

With us too. Wife had knee surgery and finally decided daughter-in-laws could do Thanksgiving and have us to their houses for Christmas, after many years of doing it herself. All worked well, they are wonderful women and good cooks too. Here's hoping the plan continues next year. I like letting the kids and grandkids clean up afterwards too, while I nap.

I come from a small family so Christmas was small when I was a kid. Now for our own Christmas we have about a dozen. Six grandkids, two granddaughters boyfriends, son and wife, son in law, Marilyn and me.

Then there is Marilyn s family. Years ago when I was dating Marilyn and for awhile after we were married when we met at Marilyn s grandparent s house we had quite a crowd. 15 kids in Marilyn s family, 14 kids in Marilyn s aunt s family and two from her uncle. That makes 31 grandkids plus boyfriends, girlfriends, spouses and parents. Needless to say we outgrew grandma s house and rented the church social hall.

Marilyns family still gets together for Christmas but we rent the fire station and the grandkids do the planning and most of the work. We could easily number 100 if everyone came. A normal crowd is probably 75. A handful of cousins come but mostly it is grandkids, great grandkids and great-great grandkids of Marilyns grandparents. It is a pot luck and a free for all when the food is served. What is really different to me is how we have aged. Years ago in Marilyns grandparents house grandma and grandpa were the oldest followed by the parents and on down the line. In three days when we get together I will be next to the oldest one there. We older ones are now two generations away from the grandparents who started it all. We are now the old folks who sit watching the grandkids run around! Where did the time go?