(Not) Home For The Holidays

Even though the weather is always colder than I can withstand, Winter is one of my favourite times of the year.

That’s because from November 1st to January 1st, we are right in the thick of the holiday season.

As soon as Halloween decorations come down, Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations go up.

Thanksgiving was never my favourite holiday, mainly because I vehemently disagree with the foundations that the origins of American Thanksgiving are based upon, like the mass genocide of indigenous peoples and the theft of their land.

The only idea surrounding Thanksgiving that I agree with is that of being thankful for what you have, though I feel that gratitude is something we should practice on a daily basis.

What I am grateful for today and everyday is my family.

I miss being surrounded by my entire extended family, like I was last year when they came from near and far to spend time with one another over the week of Thanksgiving.

It was a week of firsts — the first time my aunt saw my uncle, her brother, in 50 years, the first time I met my adorable nephews, and the first time that many of us had congregated in America.

There were about fifty of us under one roof, flying and driving in from our home state of Georgia, California, Ohio, Virginia, Texas, and even Ethiopia.

We slept on couches, on floors, and three cousins to a bed when necessary, just to further relish in how wonderful it felt to be that close in proximity to family we hadn’t seen in years.

This Thanksgiving, I’m living four thousand miles from home in a country where I have no family, and I already miss the lavish Thanksgiving dinner my grandfather always cooks.

I find myself feeling nostalgic for the yearly dinners with all of my extended family and my family’s huge Thanksgiving last year, where we can all catch up about all the different directions our lives have been taking us in.

Though I love living in London, a tiny part of me is looking forward to the day I get to fly home to be with my family for Christmas.

Photo by Pro Church Media on Unsplash