Family Roles During Holidays!

Does each person in your family have a specific unofficial role during holidays and other special occasions? Because in mine, we pretty much all have a role! 😅

I grew up always wanting to be a lot like my mom, so I’d be in the kitchen with her watching her cook every day. We’d bake different desserts together. She’d let me try my own thing sometimes, too. Inventar, as the Latin mommas say!

And if you didn’t catch on, my mom’s unofficial official role was head chef for all our special occasions. Why? It’s simple. She loves to cook. She cooks with lots of love and it’s obvious once you smell, see and taste her amazing dishes!

But while she cooks all the main dishes for all occasions, it’s up to me to select and create dessert! It’s not my only role, but it’s probably my favorite! 🤷‍♀️ Let’s walk through the different things expected of each person in my immediate family during a holiday. Christmas, to be specific!

Gift Shopping

This one’s on everyone pretty much. But more often than not, everyone is asking me for help picking out gifts for everyone! I don’t mind, as I love the feeling of satisfaction when someone opens a gift I helped pick out and they actually love it! I think I’m pretty good at shopping! My dad somehow gets dragged to all the stores too, so I’d say main shoppers are my dad and I. Sorry Dad!

Food

My mom tends to go all out in the kitchen for holidays, but she doesn’t do it alone! My brother’s wife is also an amazing cook, and sometimes, I can barely tell the difference between her food and my mom’s! And that’s a big deal! My mom typically does the main dishes, while my sister-in-law does the sides. And as mentioned previously, I take care of dessert! My dad always sets the table though!

Entertainment

For just about any occasion, we can count on my brother to provide the music as well as what we watch on TV. Does he take suggestions though? 😬 If you’re nice?

Beverage

This one’s on my dad, brother and sister. And it’s usually a last minute trip to the liquor store! Haha But typically it’s my dad or sister pouring drinks, or just being the main ones drinking!

Gift Wrapping

Maybe it’s because of my attention to detail, but for some reason, everyone’s gifts end up in my closet for me to wrap up…I don’t mind though! The fun part is I end up not labeling any gifts in an obvious way, so only I know what’s what!

Playing with the Kids

Kids make holidays even more special, especially Christmas, where you get to see them smile when they open up their presents! But they also need entertainment! I’m really good at keeping them (my nephews and my son) occupied, but my sister and my sister-in-law are great as well!

Wrapping Up the Night

At the end of a great holiday, comes time to clean up and put things away. Everyone tries to pitch in, but inevitably my mom and sister-in-law take care of the kitchen disproportionately, while the rest of us take care of all the other things.

I sometimes wonder what kind of roles my son and my nephews will take on in our family, as they get older. 🤔

What about you? Do you have a certain role in your family, especially during the holidays? I’d love to know if your family is similar to mine or totally different! 💗

Everyday is a Holiday, a poem

From the day you were born

And almost 9 months before

I knew that I’d love you

Forever and more

From your cute little curls

To your ten little toes

The way that you hug me

Really warms up my heart

The smile on your face

Is all that I need

I never imagined I could love someone this much

And I never thought I could be so loved in return

So this holiday season, I give thanks to the Universe, Source, God, etc.

For everyday is a holiday

Because I have you in my arms

Childhood Holiday Memories

Flashback to my childhood… my whole extended family gathered together on Christmas eve. Afro-Latino party music playing in the background. Sometimes merengue, sometimes salsa, sometimes bachata. Always the right mood.

Kids all running around, trying to not get in the adults’ way. Playing together. Joking together. Catching up in the way kids do.

Dinner served. Drinks served. Jokes laughed at. People dancing. People being outrageously loud.

Kids waiting anxiously until midnight, so we could start opening gifts. Quickly getting sleepy. Going home at 1 or 2 in the morning. The cold, winter chill in your face.

Quick change into warm PJs. Snuggle up in bed with a cozy comforter. Lights out and off to dream worlds.

Wake up early in the morning, open up any remaining gifts that were left at home. Mom fries empanadas. Hot chocolate to wash it down.

A relaxing day at home with mom and dad and siblings. No school. No work. Nothing important to do except to be in each other’s company.

These are the memories I have of Christmas, growing up in New York with all my family around. Things may not be exactly the same, but I’m fond of the memories and fond of newer memories and traditions. I hope my son can look back at his childhood in a similar way.

What are your holiday traditions? Will you pass them on to your children (if you have any or plan to have any)? What are your fondest memories of holidays growing up? I want to know! 💗

Holiday Music! 🎄🎶

On the second day of Blogmas, Lola M Kelly gave to me…🎙🎼💿

*Sings way off key*

Okay, but seriously, here is a playlist I just created to help start the holiday mood! A little bit of blues, a little bit of Motown! I’ll make another playlist soon with more modern Christmas covers/originals!

Lola M Kelly: Holiday Mood (on YouTube Music)

What songs would you add? What are some absolutely must-listen-to songs on your holiday playlists? Share with me, please! 😍

To Blogmas or Not to Blogmas?!

I’m pretty new to blogging or whatever it is I’ve been doing lately 😅 so I hadn’t really heard of Blogmas until this past week?! But ’tis the season, right? I decided last minute (literally about an hour before the end of the first day of December), that I’ll be joining in on the fun, in my own way of course. 🎄🎄🎄

So anyway, I guess I’ll be sharing some holiday-themed poetry, writing, random photos, special moments, playlists, etc. I’ll use this as a challenge to be more consistent as far as how often I post and to be more creative with the types of things I choose to share in my special space here.

By the way, the featured photo is my semi-finished Christmas tree before my toddler son knocked it over. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Anyway, are you riding the Blogmas wave? I’d love to follow along with you and any of your blogger friends! Share your site with me! Happy Holidays!

The River

Sometimes

I may feel like I’m trapped

Sandwiched between two neverending walls

In a tunnel with no light at the end

Everlasting night is not my friend

But if I keep going

Just one more step

Just one more minute, hour, day, week, month, year

I always find the river I’m looking for

And I always appreciate it even more

Is this love?

Uncomplicated surrealness

Thoughts from the deepest

Like a dream you can’t wake up from

But you can’t wait to fall asleep in

You’re not a challenge, but you challenge me

How can you be so different yet…

Feel so familiar

Too many characters, not enough space

But you simplified the message

And eliminated mistakes

A smiley face here, a thinking face there

We could learn a new word

And rename our whole world

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