I am just going to put this out there

Holidays suck, especially Christmas.

I have many reasons to be grateful:

Family

Friends old and new

Grandchildren

My Tribe of Badass Soul Sisters

Work

My Roxie dog…

So many more reasons as well.

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But all the gratitude in the world doesn’t take the sting out of the fact that Christmas just isn’t the same.

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Christmas has sucked since my Mom and Dad left the physical plane in 2016 and family gatherings went by the wayside.

We used to gather at Mom and Dad’s house every year (usually not on Christmas day, but that isn’t the point) and have a gift exchange, then the littles received presents from everyone.

Mom used to cook huge holiday meals, but one year decided that she wanted to have fun on Christmas too. So the menu was changed: Sloppy Joes & Shredded Chicken Sandwiches, Cheese & Vegetable plate, Deviled (Debbie) Eggs, Cinnamon Salad, Ballreich’s Chips, and oh my goodness all the cookies that Mom and Linda always baked on my birthday.

The cookie baking marathons were legendary (at least in my mind). I despise baking cookies. So I would get phone or text updates as Mom and Linda’s cookie baking day progressed. I would always feel so guilty for not contributing to the cookie stash (for a hot minute).

I remember one year when our family Christmas meal didn’t quite live up to Jewish boy Larry’s dream world idea of a Traditional Christian Christmas meal. He bought food, cooked and cooked, and delivered a Thanksgiving at Christmas Jewish boy dream traditional Christian Christmas meal cooked from his heart.

It was one of the last few Christmas meals we had with my parents. I am happy he was able to realize a dream of a “traditional” Christmas meal. Not so happy that there were some complaints of “Where are the sloppy joes and shredded chicken?” Seriously, y’all?

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I love Christmas Eve Candlelight services. I hope that I can find one this year.

I love to spend Christmas morning watching my grandchildren open their presents.

To me, the joy and wonder of little children on Christmas morning is just the best.

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Then I will return to the quiet of home.

I will take time to remember my Grandparents, Parents, Larry, my Aunt, and everyone who is spending Christmas in Heaven.

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I prefer a low-key Christmas in which I can remember the real reason for the season: The birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Which brings me back to Unapologetically Real…

Regardless of how long we have been sitting with grief, the holidays can be especially sucky.

The heavy weight that our loved one(s) are no longer here, knowing that things will never be the same. Traditions broken, missing, longing for the past.

Sometimes, many times, every time, it seems like a lot to bear.

It IS a lot to bear.

We might be tempted to give up over the holidays.

But please do not give up.

“Anyone can give up; it is the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone would expect you to fall apart, now that is true strength.”

― Chris Bradford, The Way of the Sword

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If you feel there is

no other option

than to give up,

live there for a moment

but do not quit.

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“You may have a thousand reasons to quit,

but you will always have a reason to Live.

And let that reason be YOU!”

― Somya Kedia

XO Lisa ❤️ living a gratitude filled life!