Holiday traditions

I was thinking about our typical christmas gatherings and realized that this year was so much more strange than any other year. It is a funny thing growing up and learning to put tradition on stand by in order to just be together. Many things were put on hold or altered due to complications this year.

For starters, on Christmas day I was unable to see my parents for the first time in my life because of an ice storm that hit our area and made the road's condition a little reckless for driving on. I spent the whole day with my husband's family. I made the wassail (which tasted delicious thanks to the tweaking by Wanda, Toby's mother. Thin slivers of oranges were a spectacular addition.) and luckily the majority of his family enjoyed sipping on it all day long.

Then instead of our regular get together with my Grandparents on my Dad's side, we spent our holiday visit in a rehabilitation center in Altoona, PA because my Grandpa recently suffered from a stroke. Our Christmas visit consisted of my parents, sister, husband, uncles, and grandmother all perched around my Grandfather's hospital bed.

We then headed to Harrisburg, PA to have a quick present exchange and family visit with my brother, his wife, and their three year old son before journeying down to Frederick, MD to visit my sister's neck of the woods with my parents and husband.

Now that Toby and I are back home in KY, everything is starting to sink in and I realized that this has been the most unusual and untraditional Christmas holiday ever. It just goes to show how tradition is not all it is cracked up to be as long as you are with the people you love during these special times of the year. I guess my only real regret is that I did not get to eat my Mother's amazing oyster stew. Maybe the next time we are home I can request it, regardless of the time of year and typical tradition.

Head to the link below to check out epicurious' recipe for oyster soup.

photo via epicurious