The Just Typikel Blog

Christmas On The Road

I am so excited to hand over the mouse and keyboard today to my blogging pal Mo of Mocadeaux.

Some of you might remember we teamed up last December for Partners In a Pair Tree. This year she is joining the delights of Eli, Katy and Susan to gussy up Just TypiKel for the festive season.

I first met Mo while participating in an online blogging course. My first clue that I knew she was one to follow? This gal knows her wine!

Check out her wine cellar.

wine cellar https://www.kellylmckenzie.com/christmas-on-the-road/
Purloined from her blog http://mocadeaux.com

I’m delighted that she is sharing her Christmas On The Road story today as it truly reflects the spirit of her blog. In addition to wine, she’s all about family, travel and friendship.

Take it away Mo!

Christmas On The Road

Because our family is spread all over the country, getting together for Christmas always involves a road trip (or plane trip) for someone.

Unlike those of you who are geographically close to one another, we don’t have the luxury – or the challenge – of visiting both sides of the family every year. No screeching from house to house. No splitting custody of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Instead we make a plan, trying to alternate between my side of the family, Peter’s side of the family and staying put to celebrate Christmas in our own home. Bags are packed and gifts are sent to the chosen location. We are “all in” – one spot for the entire holiday.

Over the years we have collectively spent the holiday season in the following locations:

 

  • Glenview, Illinois
  • Akron, Ohio
  • Spring Hill, Florida
  • Atlanta, Georgia
  • Palm Harbor, Florida
  • Richmond, Virginia
  • Boston, Massachusetts
  • Nashville, Tennessee
  • Orlando, Florida
  • San Diego, California
  • And probably other places I have forgotten

 

We have stayed with relatives, in hotels, and in vacation rental homes. We’ve packed a mini Christmas tree to spruce up (no pun intended) a hotel room and run to Target for tinsel to turn a silk ficus tree in a rental condo into a festive spot under which to lay our gifts.

After spending three Christmases in a row in a hotel near one relative or another, our son joked that “we really need to buy a house and settle down.”

We celebrate Christmas on whatever day, plus or minus December 25th, that most of the gang can be together.

My dear friend, Peggy, recently celebrated Christmas with her grandchildren (ages one and three) while visiting them for Thanksgiving because they will not be together for Christmas.

Brilliant!

When our kids were young believers, we tried to always be home for Christmas morning, waiting to travel until after the children could see what Santa brought them.

In an epic parenting fail, one year we woke up very early Christmas morning, unwrapped all our gifts then immediately threw the kids in the car to drive 7 hours to see Grandma and Grandpa.

 “Hey, kids! We know you’ve been looking forward to Christmas for the past 364 days and you have had about a second and a half to spend enjoying your gifts but let’s go! You can pick one small, quiet toy to play with while strapped in your car seat for the next 7 hours. Merry Christmas!!”

Did not go over so well…

Nowadays, it is more often Peter and I traveling to spend the holidays with our parents or with our grandchildren since it is easier for us to make the trip than it is for them.

Flexibility is the key to making this all work.

While it is important to celebrate the meaning behind the holidays on the appropriate days – attending church on Christmas Day and lighting the candles on the eight nights of Hanukkah – the spirit of the holiday season has a longer shelf life.

What we have come to appreciate over all of the years and over all of the miles is that the joy, hope, peace and love of the season can and should be celebrated whenever loved ones are together.

What about you? Are you as crazy as we are? Do you find yourself having to get creative in order to celebrate the holidays with your family?

My thanks to Kelly for this opportunity to guest post.

mo of mocadeaux https://www.kellylmckenzie.com/christmas-on-the-road/
Mo of Mocadeaux

Wishing you all peace and happiness in this holiday season and in the New Year!

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Kelly Mckenzie

Kelly McKenzie worked at her mother’s Vancouver Asian antique store for over a decade. After struggling to make her first sale, she went on to become her mother's dependable right-hand gal, picking up bookkeeping skills, marathon running and a husband along the way. A cast member of Seattle’s first Listen To Your Mother show, she’s been published in community newspapers across Canada, in the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series and in various blogs and anthologies. Never, Never, Hardly Ever is a result of Frankie’s endless encouragement to “get our antics out into the world.”

Comments

28 Responses

  1. Hi, Mo and Kelly. Merry Christmas to you both!

    We’ve been lucky so far in that everyone still comes to our house for Christmas. This year we have to make two separate trips to the airport on Christmas Eve, but it will be SO worth it.

  2. Thanks for having me guest post today, my friend! I’m proud to contribute to your wonderful and always entertaining site!

  4. Two of my faves together again! We are fortunate that both our parents and all of our siblings are in state. We celebrate Hanukkah with my family and Christmas with Matt’s, and come home to our own beds each night. Sometimes I wish we had exciting places to go, but then I come to my senses and am thankful for all the family that is close by.

    Merry Christmas to both of you and your families!

  5. The benefit of families that celebrate different holidays! When our daughter converted to Judaism she pointed out that we get to have her for every Christmas! Happy (almost end of) Hanukkah to you and your family, Dana!

  6. Two of my favourite blogging buddies in one place, how could I resist.
    Love this Mo and I stifled a knowing giggle at the idea of our darling children spending Christmas day strapped in the car while the avalanche of fun sits unattended at home. Yes many a year has been spent driving, driving from family to family. The last few years have been spent at home with a small tribe, somehow this year everyone is converging on us at the same time. Yes my Christmas wish came true, both families at my house for lunch. I better get cooking.
    Have a fabulous Christmas Kelly and Mo and lots of adventure and fun in 2015.

    1. I love that every year our celebration is different – different cast of characters, different location, whatever! Wishing you a very Merry Christmas, too, Karen!

    2. Thank you Karen! I do hope the lunch was a smashing success and that everyone had more than their fill of splendid food and nog! Wishing you much fun and adventure and the very best of health for 2015!

  7. We used to travel every single year for Christmas, too. Nowadays we are staying home more often, preferring to use our road trip days up during the summertime. So our extended family now gets to celebrate Christmas with us — in June! (We’ll see how this one flies…)

    1. I think that is brilliant, Harmony! To be honest, travel during the holidays is stressful and expensive! Christmas in June opens up all sorts of possibilities for new traditions!

    2. Oohhh that’ll be an interesting thing to see. Hope the June concept sat well with everyone Harmony! You live in a lovely part of the world and I’m glad to learn that you get to enjoy every second of it this Christmas.

  8. Ho, ho, ho Mo. (I couldn’t resist!) No seriously, I so relate to this post. And it’s so fun seeing you here–I miss your Kelly and Mo road show.

    As a kid, my parents whisked us back and forth between grandparents. That Chevy Chase Christmas movie is hilarious because my parents loved this holiday in a similar way. The lights, oh the lights. Plus gifts. I’m embarrassed to admit this Mo, but there were so many presents around the tree that only a third of the tree was visible. And we had a big tree, oh and I had 5 siblings. Now, we celebrate in one place with one side of the family and alternate years. We skip gifts (except for the grandkids). The grandkids work together to give to a charity or someone in need in our name. We love hearing their story when we see them for the holiday. Happy holidays, Mo!

    1. We’ve also had those years with a true embarrassment of riches under our tree. I’m impressed by the way you and your family have pared things down to more closely reflect the reason for the season and inspired to steer our family in that direction. Happiest of holidays to you, too!!

  9. Hi Mo – so glad to have Kelly introduce us. What a masterful seasoned traveler you are! I can’t say that I’m a very comfortable traveler, so I’m delighted that our small family lives in close proximity and long-distance travel is not an issue. While I’m not a huge fan of winter, I do like a white Christmas. The one year we spent in FL was seriously disconcerting to my Chicagoan heart.

    1. Oh Deborah, I totally get it! We moved from Chicago to San Diego about 5 Christmases ago and I find it tough to get into the Christmas spirit amid the palm trees! We will be moving back to Chicago in a few months and all will be right with the world once again!
      So very happy to meet you! Merry Christmas!

  10. I miss Christmas with my parents – they live in Europe, we live in Australia and we usually go to visit in summer (Northern hemisphere summer, that is). Merry Christmas!

    1. Tat, it is stories like yours that make me think I should quit whining about my family being spread all across the US. At least we are on the same continent! Merry Christmas to you, as well!

  11. Another great post Mo! I can identify with all the traveling! I admit it. I hate the irritation of travel and I abhor it even more during the holidays. But you’ve gotta do what you gotta do! Have a wonderful Christmas! You too Kelly!!

    2. I don’t mind the travel but I also relish those times when I can stay home and the family comes to me. Although with 3 grandchildren under the age of 3 I’m guessing it will be a while before that happens… 😉

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Kelly L Mckenzie

Kelly McKenzie worked at her mother’s Vancouver Asian antique store for over a decade. After struggling to make her first sale, she went on to become her mother’s dependable right-hand gal, picking up bookkeeping skills, marathon running and a husband along the way.

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