Christmas was. This year Christmas was very different. I spent Christmas Eve with my sisters and their husbands, my parents, and my grandparents. It was a time that seemed to be void of tradition. It was odd. Our family is big on tradition, and for years my grandparents had a dynasty of tradition. They held the annual Christmas party, and everyone came Aunts, Uncles, cousins, family friends and neighbors. It was a massive event. We all stuffed into my grandma's little three bedroom house. The one level tan brick structure could barely hold all twenty-something of us. It was a massive and joyous celebration.

We eventually all began to grow. We grew into our own families and families grew into families. The grand-kids had kids and the family tree grew out of control...

Christmas has changed a bit.

I got a new phone, a droid, that I haven't learned fully how to use(not sure what this has to do with change). My nephew is getting more fun to play with and be around-he ran around having a great time this year. And I just kept thinking about how this year I wan't getting ready to leave for France, and I wasn't getting nervous about going to a different country with a different language. I look forward to the coming year, but before I start blogging on what is to come-I have to sum up this year. I have mixed emotions on the year in general. It was bitter-sweet. It was terrible, and amazing. It was a curse and blessing. I believe that Christmas allows us all to reflect on things-more than just six pound eight ounce little baby Jesus, but things like family, religion, time. Christmas has become our new Bethlehem as "the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight." In many ways the part of the nativity story that is lacking the most is the future part, which I feel is rather important. Christmas, as such a great time for reflection like a mirror can sometimes blinds us from what is to come.