Christman Family Traditions

Our family has many traditions. It’s a reflection to how we were raised. Holidays are huge events for us. Rachel brings the house to life with each season and holiday. Our Christmas and Halloween decorations are over the top, but it doesn’t stop there. We have traditions about when to open gifts on birthdays (Rachel likes mornings), family photos at different spots, how we give back around the holidays. Lots of traditions, so much so that I think they deserve their own category in this journal.

It has now been just over two months since Gavin passed. We continue to trudge along. Some days better than others, but all some level of challenge that didn’t exist previously. We are approaching Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Gavin’s birthday (December 29). We are struggling to know what to do with each of these. Do we celebrate as before with the same level of revelry as if nothing has changed? Do we shut it all down acknowledging the gigantic black hole that looms around every familiar place, movie or conversation that threatens to consume us? Do we alter things this year but go back to “normal” next year? As with everything we’re facing we know there is no right or wrong.

Rachel and I consult with Conor frequently on these topics. Conor is generally relaxed about such things, at least outwardly. The truth is the answer lies in our current overall reduced enthusiasm. Days pass, things get done, but we simply don’t have the energy or focus to bake turkeys, decorate two elaborate trees, or hang thousands of lights outside.

It’s just not happening this year, and that is OK.

So…this year it is what it is. There will be some decorating. Rachel already has the house looking subtly festive. Subdued by our standards, but enough to know the seasons are changing. There will be some celebration but it will not be to the level of previous years.

If I were guessing I would expect it will get bigger next year. Gav loved decorating. He took pride in the house looking like the Griswolds from Christmas Vacation. We are the reigning Halloween decoration champions in Wekiva Park (we won in 2021, they didn’t hold a contest this year. We would not have won).

I could see Gav’s fondness for decorations and celebrations motivating us to ramp things up again in the future. I hope it does.