I am the first born out of 4 and I grew up in a middle class family on a cul-de-sac in the middle of San Fernando Valley. My mom was always penny pinching to make sure us kids had the very best of everything. And she made sure every celebration was done in a BIG WAY! So, now I celebrate BIG!
Boundaries with Extended Family
Our holidays were spent with people in recovery because my father and mother both had very volatile relationships with our extended family. My parents made the decision very early to make a safe space in our home for us kids. Since my father has the disease of addiction, it was a no-brainer to have an environment of no alcohol or anything that may trigger him. But little did I know that also meant my family would ban those that were toxic for us as well.
Celebrating Big
My mom’s jam was holiday decorating. She loved decorating the house and having us wake up to a decked out house. Thanksgiving was our biggest holiday of them all, where we would make plates for people that didn’t have families. My mom would call everyone in the recovery program, Narcotics Anonymous and say “You got plans?” “Do you have a place to be?” Then she would invite them over to get a plate of food.
Happy Birthday
Holidays set the tone for my life!. Your born day (Birthday) is the biggest celebration. We have cake, balloons and family. We had everything you look forward to when it’s your birthday. We all would have a big bbq with food, dips, sodas, and root beer floats. My mom made sure that everything was huge; I think partly because she had the time and the other part was because we needed things to do (all of us had high energy).
A BIG Christmas
What sticks out the most during Christmas is the lights, tree decorating, cookie baking and the fact that my mom made a ham and all the sides. Most of all, everything she did, she did it BIG. So I always thought that when I grew up I would do the same for my kids. Looking back all I can remember is how big she made everything seem.
Celebrate Big
I now have two girls and all I think about is how I can make new traditions while celebrating the old ones my mom did with me at a young age. I try to match her with what I do and incorporate ideas of my own.
RELATED TOPIC: Holiday Traditions – Finding Your Own
So, if you have little ones, I encourage you to celebrate BIG! They will remember it and you will be glad you did. Holidays are all about love and sharing or at least that’s how my family presented it to me. You don’t even have to have blood relations to celebrate or have a family. MAKE YOUR OWN! Love who shows up for you and your kids. Above everything else, have fun and make the most of it. Go celebrate BIG!
