For the month of November I’m participating in a daily gratitude challenge posted by the journaling app that I use, Day One, and here’s today’s prompt:

What do I like about this time of year?

This holiday season is my first one since retiring from teaching. Usually this time of year I’m feeling the pressure to survive to the Christmas mid-year break, also trying to do something meaningful with students between Thanksgiving and Christmas, even though they have zero interest in even being there. It’s weird to not feel any of that pressure. This holiday season will be my first one traveling since before the pandemic and my first trip to Hawaii (to visit one sister who lives there). 

Going back to the beginning of time I’ve always visited family for the holidays, sleeping on someone’s couch. When I moved to Florida I’d make the trip to California every other year. Then when I moved to Las Vegas I was back in California for Thanksgiving AND Christmas. Then COVID happened and my sister in Long Beach moved to the Midwest and there’s been less incentive to go to California.

I unsuccessfully floated the idea when I was living in Florida that the family (siblings and the next generation) should rotate where we meet for Christmas. When the folks lived in California everyone was expected to travel to California. But when dad passed away it seemed like it would be nice to do the holidays in the different places where we’d moved to. I had a nephew in New York, nieces in the Midwest, sister in Hawaii. Why not rotate where we spend the holidays. Those still in California weren’t interested, then mom wasn’t well enough to travel, then she passed away, then COVID locked us all down. So this year, my sister’s gift to me for my birthday, was this trip to visit her in Hawaii. 

I’ve done holidays mostly alone. I end up watching a lot of movies and frequenting which ever watering hole was my favorite at the time. It’s much better to have the option to just hang out with family… and maybe watch a movie… and enjoy a couple beers… and a couple shots of tequila. I like the holidays because it can be a time for new adventures with folks who’ve known you the longest. Speaking of which, it must be time for me to break out my Christmas flamingo. Enjoy.