Sometimes I Feel Like a Piece of Bologna

Christmas Looming and Lamenting

I wonder how much blog posting drops in December? I sure haven’t had time to write anything profound. Or anything at all for that matter. Even now I’m stealing time from wrapping, decorating (no, I’m not done yet....) and baking. Not to mention laundry….

We leave Friday morning to spend two days with Mom and Dad, and I’m still not ready. We’ll cook another relatively simple meal on Saturday, although from what I hear, my sister is too busy and tired to help. And the brother who often pitches in doesn’t come for Christmas. So once again, the load will fall on me. Problem is, I’ve been too busy to even delegate much or think about a simpler alternative. What we did for Thanksgiving worked—sort of. And most important, since this is my parents’ Christmas, I want to make it special for them. We’ll have a wonderful day with our best friends on the 25th and over a week with our son and DIL. Christmas at Mom’s is a blip for us, but for her, it’s all there is. And who knows how many more they will have.

I must confess that I’m preoccupied preparing for the 25th when our son and DIL come home. It saddens me that I have such joy preparing for them and feel only responsibility preparing for the celebration at Mom’s. I really do want to make it wonderful for her. Once again her family celebration is not on Christmas, but on the weekend before. She’s done that for years to assure getting the greatest number of us there. But even now, one son and DIL, one or two grandchildren, and at least three great grands won’t be there. And her husband is still in board and care, longing to come home.

When I talked to her tonight, she vacillated between anticipatory planning and crying. I know she’s tired, yet I know she will pick up the load my sister is dropping even if I tell her not to. She said that she had her doctor run a blood panel to see why she’s been feeling so bad, but everything came back “just fine.” Now what? Looks as if I need to try to get over to her next appointment.

I’d love to hear how other Gen Sandwichers are balancing Christmas celebrations and what you’ve done to lighten the load and increase the joy.

Labels: aging parents, Christmas, family, sandwich generation