I have the unfortunate plight of living rather far from my family. Approximately 1250 miles away. Something that in itself is not Terrible. I know they’re there, we email, we talk. Things could be much much worse.
However, every year around the holidays, I find that that distance gets harder. I’m used to a particular kind of Christmas (the one I remember having for 18 years before I moved away) and I have absolutely no ability to have that sort of a Christmas down here in Arizona (don’t get me wrong, next year I have plans to try my darndest).
One of the things that always bothers me as I pack up the box to send to my family, is that when I buy or make a Christmas gift…. there’s a specific reason behind it, and if I were there, I could tell you what it is. Which is why I started doing something last year that really, made so much sense, I’m a little upset I hadn’t thought of it earlier.
I write letters to go with the gifts. They need to be opened after the presents, of course – so I clearly mark them – but that way, if I don’t get around to calling until well after presents have been opened… there’s something there to explain it all.
This year, my dad's included a magnet I had made that I had meant to send him for his birthday.
What a good idea! This Christmas was the first one I felt like I was finally getting my groove too :)
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