Trigger warning: this blog post deals with suicide

My husband and I faced one of the most stressful weeks we've ever had in our marriage. We got through Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton with easily repaired damages. We have three condos undergoing some renovation or repair.

The end-of-year-holidays are supposed to be all about taking a break from work and spending quality time with friends and family. Unfortunately, with the current economy and inflation…money worries often get in the way of having a truly carefree celebration.

I was at a Christmas party this past week, and one of my friends broke down and started crying. She is having a tough time this holiday season. She’s reached out to her children and they have not returned her calls. She asks herself, “Why don’t they call me?” “Why are they being this way?” “Why don’t they want me in their lives?” Maybe her kids are ungrateful and selfish brats, and maybe they’re perfectly justified in their actions because they view her as a horrible mother. Whatever the reasons are, she’s asking herself the wrong questions.

There are two kinds of people: people who love the holidays, and people who hate the holidays.

My Aunt Rose, at least in my mind, is the perfect example of someone who LOVES the holidays. On Oct 31st when the last "trick-or-treater" is off her porch, Aunt Rose gleefully begins unpacking her Christmas decorations. The sheer volume of decorations she has in storage ensures she starts on November 1st to get done in time for Thanksgiving. Aunt Rose takes super-excellent care of her Christmas decorations.

Please enjoy this collection of quotes from modern day philosophers (comedians) about the true meaning of the holidays. ~Traci

Aren’t we forgetting the true meaning of Christmas? The birth of Santa? -Bart Simpson

It would be a Hanukkah miracle if we could decide on a way to spell "Hanukkah." —anonymous

With the holidays upon us, I find myself reflecting back on past holidays and not always in the best way. I remembered that Thanksgiving of 2016 was the last Thanksgiving I spent with my mother. I broke her out of the nursing home for a home cooked meal at my house. It was a day of joy for both of us and she ate like it was her last Thanksgiving...because it was. I'm so glad I made it a good one. Christmas Day of 2016, I was going to treat my mother to another home cooked meal. Unfortunately, she became very ill that Christmas Eve and never rebounded. She passed the following year and I never got to have that Christmas with her.