My favorite thing about Christmas has always been going to my grandma and grandpa’s house on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. I have a somewhat large family in which most still live in the small suburbs of northern kentucky. We see each other often, not like other families who travel from out of town and all come together at Christmas. We are all very close, my cousins being some of my closest friends. But somehow on Christmas it all feels different. As a kid, it was always more exciting to go to grandmas on December 25th. I don’t know if it’s the chill in the air with the promise of snow, or the excitment and anticipation to see what Santa brought us. It may have been the amazing meal that my grandma always proveded for us, or the hope that our parents would let us stay just a little later that night. But as I have grown up, I think this feeling stems from something much different.
As I have grown into an adult, I have moved away from the comforts of my hometown. Being so close to my family, it was the mose difficult thing I have ever done. Not seeing them each day, not spending time with everyone each weekend. But being the stubborn independent girl that I am, I wanted to something different. I wanted to live on my own, see what I could accomplish in a place completely foreign to me. So i took the chance. So far it has been quite a rollecoster, but one that I am happy I took the ride on.
My excitement nowadays to go home during the Christmas season is much more than it ever was as a kid. And I have realzied that the presents, the food, the wintery wonderlands are only added bonuses to the real reason for my excitement. My famliy. Getting to come home to people who know me better than anyone else in the world. Getting to laugh and joke and cry and reminise with cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, mom, dad, and brothers. All of us living our seperate lives to come together as one.
Realizing how blessed I really am to have such a close family who would do anything for each other— to still have all four grandparents who make each Christmas so special for each of us–to be able to come home to come home each year and feel like I never left.
As exciting as all of the little things are, the thing I am most excited about this Christmas season is spending a few days with the people who mean the most to me–my family.
Love, American Beautiful 