I don’t know about you, but due to extenuating circumstances in my life, I am always happiest when the holidays have come and gone.  True, we still have New Year’s Eve to get through, but Hanukkah and Christmas, and even New Year’s are difficult for me.  As such, I prefer to be as busy as possible.  For me, while yes, it is a time to be with family and friends, this time of year is also to remember loved ones who are no longer with us.  You see, between December 2008, December 2009 and December 2010, I lost three very close family members, my father, grandmother and mother.  In fact when my mother passed away on December 14, 2010, my sister’s comment (not wrongly) was at least it wasn’t New Year’s.  The reason for this is my Father’s funeral was New Year’s Eve day in 2008 and my grandmother passed away on New Year’s Eve day of 2009.  Thus the reason why December has become my least favorite month.

It is challenging trying to deal with the cheerfulness of the holidays, when you have severely negative experiences associated with them.  Me, I try to keep as busy as possible.  In recent years, this has not been easy.  In fact, while I celebrate Hanukkah personally, I usually celebrate Christmas with friends.  However, last year, I was seriously sick with severe bronchitis and high fever and this year was actually in the emergency room with an extremely bad back.  So much for enjoying the holidays.  I will say, though, that friends came through with the holiday spirit and cleaneDo youd my apartment for me on Friday, since I was incapacitated!

I also had to curtail certain holiday traditions I have with my children.  For the past several years, I have gone into the city with my daughter to see the holiday window displays, the tree at Rockefeller Center and the shops at Bryant Park.  Last year we cut it short due to being sick, and this year, are still hoping to go tomorrow, but all depends on what the doctor has to say this afternoon.  Not easy having to modify our wonderful traditions!!  She is resilient and understanding that I didn’t plan this, but that I do want to go, as long as I am physically able to.

What do you do for the holidays?  Are your crafts enough to keep you going?  As you know from previous posts, I always have something with me, and even in the ER, had the doctor ask if I knew how to sit still doing nothing.  I answered honestly, no, I need to keep my hands busy!  What about you, under similar circumstances?  Do you carry projects with you at all times or can you actually sit still with nothing to keep busy?

Wishing everyone a very happy and healthy New Year and looking forward to catching up again in the new year!