Holiday In Pictures

In pictures because I don't really feel like recounting the holiday in words. Not that it was bad -- in fact, it was quite lovely -- but because it was emotionally overwhelming. I mean, it's Christmas: of course it's emotional.

Well, see, alright.

The first year without my mom was devastating. But Healy and Brian had just gotten married and moved into their new house in Massachusetts, and we all descended upon it at Christmastime. New location, new circumstances. And it was good. Different, but that was okay. Hard, but that was expected. We clung to as many of our old traditions as we could, we savored the happy we created, and we carried on. As you do.

Four years later was our first Christmas without our dad, and by then, Healy and Brian's home was filled with new memories. So we rented a house somewhere else entirely and just took that Christmas off the grid.

This year would have been the seventh at my sister's place. But she's separated now, and renting a (non-internet-having, as you may recall) cottage by the sea. It's charming. We had a great time and filled (yet another) home to the brim with us and our gifts and our noise and our singing and our drinking and our general festive mirth so help us.

But again it was different and again it was hard (I don't think we'll ever stop missing our parents at Christmas) and again it reminded us that collectively, we are not a grounded family. We don't have any idea what next year will look like. And that's okay (of course it's okay), it just...we've just changed. All of us, so much. So many of our traditions are still great but some are falling by the wayside and you know? I LOVE the unknown. Except at Christmas.

Christmas was always our glue. It held our family together like a first-grader's construction-paper ornament. And if you'll indulge me a metaphor...Years later, the ornament is still part of our collection, but it's looking a little worse for wear. Half the original cotton-ball Santa beard is missing. We could replace it, but it wouldn't be the same.

My point is, my family's been doing its best to glue and re-glue and re-glue the ornament. And it's time instead to make new ornaments.

I guess I did use words. Oops. Still, in my defense, this could have been a LOT longer (and chock FULL of schmaltzy metaphors), so...yeah. Pictures!

My sister, Sam with our little miss Christmas Eve.

A very chilly reindeer (with pink mittens).

What holiday gathering would be complete without a full-on wine tasting?


Charlie in his new duds.


EvieB!

Annie, Eve, Ella.

We were so lucky to have our paths cross with my BFF (from forever) and her family, who were heading to Boston for a wedding. We got to hang out with Em and her husband Nick, and their two girls. This involved much singing and guitar-playing in addition to the eating, drinking, game-playing, and general silliness that ensues whenever Em and I get together.

Annie and Eve get to know each other.

Mike (my sister Sam's husband) and Nick, jamming.

Ish.
(I love the guitar in the background resting on the Boppy.)

Eve LOVED Mike and Nick.

Some wisps still stand out, but mostly Eve's hair has fallen down now. Alas.

My family.

Ish & Evie.

Mom & Evie.