Christmas by Kai and Vicki Free 3D print model

cgtrader

Holiday Magic with Family and Friends at Christmas by Kai and Vicki We have all heard that "Christmas is a time for family" but how do we define our immediate family these days? We can argue about who counts as part of the "core group." Perhaps it's your mom, step-dad or partner who make up your nuclear family, perhaps its you and your own household full of roommates and kids. Or maybe your whole household is a group of 10 people from all walks of life who live together under one roof. The point here is to take what makes your personal "group" special during the holiday season so we can focus on building meaningful connections that foster warmth, support, fun and most importantly connection among them. I believe the definition of Christmas and our family is constantly evolving over time as circumstances in life change such as birth of children, loss or marriage. At first my definition was limited to biological members and closest relatives but when we had step siblings and half siblings join us on holiday that added an exciting new chapter with a mix of personalities that sometimes spark tensions but also often generate humor. When Kai was 6 and I was still at the beginning stage of this crazy job that pays me to work non-stop and spend long periods in our home without going outside I made the executive decision to "host" our Christmas party here rather than at some far away expensive holiday resort. And as we are living through another unusual period, it might not be much different if our current circumstances allowed us. With our two boys (6) being old enough and having already celebrated numerous holiday seasons in our house I've grown attached to this new holiday tradition. In many ways they've been lucky with great grandparents to pass down memories which made me grow even more fond of these gatherings since their first birthdays, and when Vicki finally met the gang all in one place on our holiday in December (and Christmas that is!) for Thanksgiving it gave us so much excitement and anticipation. Since Kai got involved at school a year ago I think everyone's personality began to shine through as you see some amazing personalities which were hidden until now emerge like magic with some good advice or some just out of place but fun statements, all which spark meaningful connections even among new arrivals. Vicki, too was drawn into that same Christmas atmosphere from her childhood holidays when grandparents' houses came alive on these occasions where people of all ages gathered to catch up with stories, and I was the only kid left out. When we gather around the tree, decorate, enjoy family favorites while also embracing old and new traditions - such as going back in time by decorating the room, sharing stories, watching films or making arts & crafts together (yes our "Christmas Eve box" now makes everyone's birthday special). You start to see connections between everyone that we wouldn't otherwise have experienced in our ordinary busy daily lives. For many years Kai was only 2 when he went through this for the first time while I just took charge of managing his and his mum's day from the airport pick-up home arrival at school so when you've gone so long since being at those holidays there it feels weird as I did before Vicki became a permanent resident of our house in November and after living abroad he suddenly finds himself once again part of all that chaos.