Holidays away from Home

or “embracing the suck”

It’s been about 15 years since I moved away from home.  Home being my Mom and the little house I grew up in.  Since then she has sold the Colorado house and moved to Florida but when I think of Christmas, I think of that house and how my mom would put the tree in the same place every year.  I think of gathering at my Aunt Janet’s house on Christmas Eve and torturously waiting for all the grown-ups to finish dinner so we could open presents.  (I swear Uncle Dan got seconds just to give him self a laugh at us kids expense)

I remember when my Grandmother would make potato sausage every Christmas Eve, and I can still remember the way it tastes even though I haven’t had it since I was very young.  I remember REALLY believing that I heard Santa and his reindeer on the roof even though I was sleeping in the basement of Aunt Janet’s two story house that night.  I remember getting a Susie Snapshot at my Dads and my baby brother David reaching for her every time she struck a pose.  I remember Santa visiting us AT OUR HOUSE (he even knew my name!), and years later recognizing my father’s eyes through that ridiculous fake beard in the photo that was taken.  I have hundreds of wonderful Christmas memories from my childhood, both in Colorado and with my Dad where ever he was stationed.  I’ve made even more in the years since with my husband’s family.
In the military you spend a lot of Christmases away from home, and maybe this is your first.  And it’s hard.  It’s DAMN hard.  But I promise it get’s easier.  As you settle into your own small family, you will create your own traditions to look forward to each year.  And while you never stop missing your family and the other special people you spend the holidays with, you always have your sweet memories.  Sometimes the reminiscing will make you feel sad, and make you long for home and what is familiar, but the more memories you make the easier it gets. 
So think of family and loved ones and remember the ones who’ve passed, but live in the moment.  If you have kids revel in that special joy they get on Christmas morning!  Let them remind you how it feels to believe in magic.  If you are celebrating with friends, appreciate the bonds you have amongst them, and raise a toast to it.  If you are house hopping to celebrate in several different places, remember how lucky you are to have so many people to share the love and joy with.  If all you get is a phone call from the one you love who is far away, I don’t even need to tell you how special that moment is, so linger in it.
As far as Christmases go, for me, this has been one of the best seasons so far!  There was not much under our tree this year, but it never mattered.  Cody came home and having your husband back, as any army wife will tell you, is the best present you could have.  Already, we have added countless deposits to our Christmas memory bank, and in our second German Christmas we’ve even found a few new traditions!  Today will be filled with music, food, and more than a few drinks among friends as we host our second Christmas dinner. 
Yes, I miss our families.  I miss them more than I can describe, but I also love gathering with new friends and making merry.  We are all missing someone, we are all over here and a little alone, but being together and having each other to celebrate with is great all on it’s own.  In the army, it’s known as “embracing the suck”, and it’s one more excellent memory to add to the books!
Frohe Weihnachten!