It is November now, which means that we are about six minutes from the end of the year. I love the approach of winter, while I’m still enchanted with wearing sweaters and light snow flurries, but it is always over too soon. With all of the preparation for travel, food, entertaining and sending gifts, I rarely have a chance to take it all in before it is January and the snow has turned to “winter mix” and we’re prying ice off of everything all of the time.
We are traveling to Wisconsin for Thanksgiving, Tom and one of his brothers will accompany their dad to Florida to visit his brother in early December and we might be hosting Christmas at our house this year. Even if we’re not, we’ll have to drag food, gifts and our heavily bundled selves to one of his sibling’s houses, none of whom live in the same city that we do.
Hmm, that sounds like I’m bitter about this whole thing, but I’m really not, just overwhelmed. We haven’t been up north for Thanksgiving in a really long time, so I’m actually looking forward to that trip. I’ve also become reacquainted with some old friends who I am very eager to see again.
The Florida trip doesn’t actually involve me, but it will be stressful for everyone involved. Tom’s uncle is having heart trouble and they want to make sure that his dad has this opportunity to visit with his brother.
Christmas gives me the opportunity to decorate the house and make obscene numbers of cookies, which is never a bad thing, but the get-together part wears me out. We have a day each month where Tom, his parents, his siblings and their families get together. These are fun occasions that leave everyone a little worn out, but glad for the time spent together. Christmas can suck the fun right out of that. There are debates about food, location, gifts and attendance that just give everyone a headache.
I guess I just need to take the time to appreciate the bits that I like and roll with the rest. Maybe even more Christmas cookies will help keep things in perspective.
All that running arond is why I’m sick every Thanksgiving and Christmas. My husband has ten brothers and sisters, and his parents live two hours awy. My sisters all live three hours away (in the opposite direction of my in-laws). There is a lot of driving, packing, planning...oh, and eating!
r u sure the florida trip can’t involve you?
Those cookies look AMAZING. I WANT ONE!!!
And, you don’t sound bitter at all. I, on the other hand, would be very bitter!! 
you’ll get through it. 
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