Are you doing anything different this holiday season?

I understand about the post office, since ours went on strike last year and twice this year, they are do not provi8de a trusted service. We opted for a new tree this year. It is a pencil tree, which just takes less space across the bottom, we both really like it. It is a prelit tree, which is handy. I will sell my other tree online, it still looks great and is in the box. Our son's tree is decorated, but the bulk of the decorations are near the bottom, where the twins placed their 'favorite' ornaments, which was the majority of them. Next year he told me that they will only allow the girls to decorate the tree, and whatever they cannot reach will have bare branches. Each year when they take photos, they will remember how big the girls were based on where the ornaments stop on the tree.

@much2say @AmbiePam I was getting ready to make a post, and I stopped to read some discussions. Ah, holidays and memories...the older we get, I think the more we reflect on the past and think of those who are not here with us anymore. And then I kept reading the comments and I know that you two, and others no doubt, are missing someone this holiday season as well. Today was my sister's birthday. She passed a long time ago, in 2003. We were very close, so much alike, and yet so different in some ways. The last few years of her life, she called every evening. She was married, but couldn't have any children, and she wanted to--when she found out she couldn't, she told me ''You just have to share yours, you know. So now, they partly belong to me!'' and oh, did she ever love them. They visited with her and enjoyed her so much, she visited us and we always had such good times...we had a rocky childhood (and that's putting it mildly) and I think it made us be very close. Several of her friends either called me or messaged me today, and one sent pictures....I cried off and on for most of the morning. It really hit me that I am not the only one who misses her so terribly. The loss of a loved one, whether it's a mother or father or sibling or other...it stays with us. We don't talk about them a lot after a few years, except to those other family members who are feeling the same loss we are at certain times, like holidays. Suddenly we look around and realize that most of the 'older' family members are gone now--and we are now one of the older ones. It's a strange feeling. When we are so close to someone, and they are gone now, it's sort of like a piece is just missing. The puzzle of our life is missing that piece...and then another, and another....I realize we all will pass on at some point, it's the cycle of life and even though we know this, it doesn't make the loss any easier. It does make a person cherish all the moments, special or not, everyday things like little phone calls, looks, gestures...like I said, Ah, memories! Even after years, the memories can still mess with our hearts.

Oh gosh, I remember that post office incident ! This year my mom is finally having her teeth taken care of . . . so recently she started with procedures. She's not going to be able to eat normally (she hasn't been anyway), so I'm revising our little get together with the taste of Thanksgiving in a SOUP. That's what I'm cooking up today. It may be that way for Christmas and New Year's Day (Japanese NY foods) too. But then we'll have our traditional Tday menu just for us at home. My younger sister, husband and dog have still not been in the picture. She has only called my 82 year old mom on Mother's Day and birthday (in same month) but does not ever call or visit otherwise to check in on my mom. They live only like a half hour away. And our last conversation on Mother's Day was bad. So like last year, we are doing our own thing in peace without my sister. My dad passed away about 3 years ago now - so along with the pandemic era, our holidays have been forever changed.

My tree will not be big, but it's pretty and have little lights. I also bought a cute gnome and a gingerbread man to decorate the top of the cabinet in the living room.

Not really, just wont have my sister around this year but making the best of it

I haven't thought much about Christmas yet but I guess I'd better start soon. It's awful that your cards went astray. Has the leak in your apartment been fixed?

I definitely don't celebrate all of that, usually there will always be people lighting fireworks during certain celebrations.

No, nothing different that I can think of. I don't send many cards--most of them I hand-deliver.

We will celebrate like all the years before. I put my tree up on Friday.

Nope... Since it's just the two of us now, we usually have really laid back holidays now. Whatever we feel like doing at the time is how we roll now.

It will be fairly normal here. I will start decorating maybe tonight.

I don't think the Christmas tree will be out this year here in our house as well

The only different thing will be to not put up the tree this year. I don't remember if cousin #3 put the tree out last year. It's just a tiny tree with LED lights on it. No other decorations. Just plug it in.