Today’s holiday topic: family!
I have two uncles who are related to me by blood, and two aunts who are related to me through their marriages to my uncles. I see the aunt and uncle on my dad’s side every year or two, but on my mom’s side, I only see them every three or four years, if that. So I don’t really know them that well.
That changed today, however. I’m not sure if it was my aunt or my grandma who originally came up with the idea, but I ended up spending the day with my aunt, shopping and eating. I think altogether we were with each other seven hours straight. I don’t think I’ve ever been in the same room with her that long, let alone by ourselves.
It turns out that not only did she get a degree in journalism (she works with advertising now), but she loves to write. She’s attempting to write a psychological horror screenplay and has ideas for short stories. She enjoys exercising later at night because she’s not a morning person, same as me. She likes GAP and Old Navy like me, enjoys spicy food, and is an aggressive driver. Prior to today, I knew none of this.
See, if it weren’t for holidays, today wouldn’t have happened. I would never have gotten to know my aunt so well, or at all, for that matter. My family is pretty spread out, and with how busy my brother and I are, it’s hard to visit everyone. So holidays give us the excuse to leave town for a few days and get to know the other facets of our family.
And that’s what I love about Christmas. I know a lot of people sneer that I celebrate it with my family, because of my lack of religion, but that’s just because they don’t get it. They don’t get that I like and will continue to celebrate Christmas because it is a time where I can be with my family and friends and not have to worry about anything. It’s a break in an otherwise hectic life.
