ReImagine the Holidays

 "Blessed are we who work without seeing the end,

who plant seeds and trust God with the growing.

Blessed are we who find freedom in the unfinished,

and peace in the stubborn promise of hope." Kate Bowler

In the last year, our family experienced 3 deaths between Thanksgiving and Easter.

In that same time period, we moved SD's dad into a hospice facility as his dementia and health had rapidly declined.

Last year the holidays were a survival mode.

This year as we approached the holidays we had to figure out what this new normal looks like.

Our first Thanksgiving together in 1998 we attended 6 Thanksgiving events. In two days.

Over the years we've shifted what "tradition" looks like and I'll be honest, the tradition is that we don't spend Thanksgiving all together.

Let's be honest, lots of people is not everyone's cup of tea. And we don't leave every family function feeling warm and cozy vibes.

We've learned over the years that even just the 5 of us do better with outdoors or an activity than a stressful meal around the table.

This year I knew we needed a change.

We decided as a family to reimagine Thanksgiving.

We skipped the traditional Thanksgiving all together.

And it was everything our family needed this year.

I want to gift our kids a holiday season that does not feel like a burden.

I want them to never feel like a Thursday in November at 1 to eat this specific thing is what is expected of them.

I want them to have the freedom to balance all the "musts" of the holiday season.

We booked 4 days in a cabin in Helen.

We gave our kids the dates and told them they were welcome anytime just to let us know when/if they planned on coming so we could prepare for meals and activities.

Thanksgiving Day SD, Peanut and I watched the Thanksgiving parade in our pjs. We ate a leisurely pancake breakfast. We went for a wonderful walk. We *might* have eaten a very large pretzel for lunch. We grilled out hamburgers. We lounged in the hot tub. We laughed at our crazy dog.

On Friday our big kids joined us for the day. We rode the Mountain coaster (and by we, I mean them), shopped in town, attended the lighting of the Village, and lingered over a meal with live music.

Thanksgiving. Reimagined.

Mama Warriors, as many of us shift into this new season of parenthood with adults who have work schedules, friend/relationship commitments, their own visions of holidays, I encourage you not to be afraid to reimagine.

To make space for the idea that maybe time together is enough and it can look different. It can be on a different day.

The holidays are a SEASON.

Not just two days in November and December.

Maybe you ask your people what portions of the holidays are their favorite and you get that on your calendar and you let go of the expectations that holidays will look the same year to year.

Maybe reimaging becomes the new normal.

Maybe pretzels are the new Thanksgiving food.