Home for the Holidays?

Home for the Holidays?

Not long ago, the word “home” required little explanation.  It was a word that described the place where you grew up, the place where you returned for the holidays, the place that conjured up warm memories of childhood and family.  These days, however, that word has gotten a bit more difficult to define.

In the past, people would live and die in the same town where they were born. Even when putting down roots of their own, they would not go far. The home where you were born continued to be the nucleus of the family long after you grew up and set up a household of your own.  You would return there to see the folks and celebrate special occasions.  That was, of course, before all the folks decided to retire to Florida or to some other pensioner’s paradise.

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Be Merry!

Be Merry!

The holiday season is my favorite time of year.  As soon as Halloween is over, I begin my gift shopping and tune into the Hallmark Channel.  While everyone else is complaining that the stores are rushing through the holidays too fast, I am reveling in Christmas music.  If it were possible, I would climb into a Currier and Ives print and stay there until I was forced to return to reality in January.

As corny as it sounds, there really is something about the holiday season that seems to bring out the best in people.  It reminds us of simpler times and conjures up storybook images of friends and family gathered in front of the fireplace drinking hot cocoa.  Who doesn’t love that?

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