Tag: celebrations

Kendall on Holiday Celebrations

by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment on Kendall on Holiday Celebrations

Full disclosure: I celebrate Christmas. But, I feel like the following applies to any holiday gathering or day you might be partaking in this year! 

My name is Kendall and I have an obsession with Christmas. I have inherited this said obsession from my mother and grandmother. As a kid, Christmas was magical. My grandmother had this epic tree, stunning decorations, delicious cookies, and there would be presents overflowing from underneath her tree into her whole formal dining room. It was a kid’s dream. My mom had the tradition of always setting up her tree the day after Thanksgiving. I would huff and puff at having to help my dad bring boxes up to her. But the end result of her tree was always so special. She really knew how to decorate a tree. It was worth the huff and puff. 

As the years have gone by, we have all added to our families and traditions have changed. Even being an adult has changed Christmas celebrations! Today, I have a kiddo to think about. Meals need to be timed around naps and bedtime… to a point at least. We have a fair amount of flexibility with Rosemary but there is a point of no return and, then, potentially losing the day! So, we have to be thoughtful about how we celebrate. We can’t do all the things we did growing up because Rosemary is her own kid. She is helping us carve out new traditions! She loves hot chocolate and Christmas movies. She adores warm and cozy holiday pajamas. She abhors opening gifts; she gets so overwhelmed that she can’t focus and then she goes into a complete meltdown. Thus, we have to rethink Christmas! This year, while she is still in the thick of toddlerdom, we have opted to do gifts slowly over the month and up until Three Kings on January 6th. We have also started doing chocolate advent calendars. There is even a dog advent calendar for Bella (thank you Trader Joes!). Every night Rosemary gets at least one holiday story. Our puzzle board has Christmas themed puzzles and “Run Run Rudolph” has become the Arguello house theme song. 

Logistically, celebrating a holiday can be hard. There are so many different gatherings that some days it can feel like you live out of your car instead of enjoying the day! I suggest avoiding the holiday burnout by not overcommitting to things. Prioritize what is important, compromise if you have families involved, and try to remember that the holiday season is supposed to be about being together- not being perfect. There is no such thing. As kids, we think there is but as we grow up, we know better. Food might be delayed. Presents might be stuck in a port somewhere, the tree may have some lights that are out, or maybe you just can’t make it to every gathering. This is all ok. Just enjoy the moments with the people you love. Snuggle in with a cup of cocoa or a great glass of something stronger, watch that favorite Christmas movie, and allow yourself to feel the spirit of the season. 

I would also like to take a moment to say that for some, the holidays are hard. There are a variety of reasons for why this season can be difficult for someone. I also struggle with missing loved ones and can get pretty down. If you need anything, Shari and I are here. And if you need help urgently, please reach out to a trusted source or 1-800-273-8255 (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline).

“Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.”
– Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express

Shari On Thirty-Three

by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment on Shari On Thirty-Three
Shari On Thirty-Three

Thirty-three. I’d like to think I am like most people and that I never really get excited about my age… well maybe the age of 5 was pretty thrilling because I was able to show my “whole hand” when asked how old I was. At the age of 13, I became a teenager. The age of 18, I became an adult. The age of 21, I was able to legally drink. The age of 25, I was able to rent a car… but nothing exciting happened after that. I remember when my college girlfriends and I joked on our 22nd birthdays that we were “Over the Hill and Fabulous”. I also remember feeling practically 30 every year after the age of 25 and not really mad about it either. I had a lot of responsibilities in my late 20’s and felt personally and professionally proud of myself and my accomplishments at what was still seen as a “young age”.

Secretly, I have always been looking forward to turning 33. Why 33, you ask? Well… when I was a teenager I worked at a retail store and we decorated the back office for my manager at the time who was celebrating her 33rd birthday. I remember thinking that 33 was such a secure, cool, and exciting age and I even told her that. She laughed at me and said “why would you ever want to be 33? Enjoy being a teenager and before you know it you will miss your 20’s.” She rolled her eyes and walked away but I was serious. I have been looking forward to being 33 for quite some time. In my adolescent brain, 33 was an age of certainty. Maybe I would have life figured out by then and I knew deep down that 33 would be a special time in my life. 

Fast forward and here we are… October 19th, 2020 and it is my 33rd birthday. I can’t say I have everything figured out but hey, 33… I. AM. HERE. FOR. IT! Life is good (despite being in the midst of a pandemic)!! I am married to an amazing man, stepmom to 3 fantastic kids, and blessed with the most amazing family and friends. Gratitude is what your 30’s truly bring to your life. Sure I was grateful in my 20’s but for me, gratitude has taken on new meaning as I get older. I am grateful for my health, my excitement for life, for my friends that feel like family, family that feels like friends, the ability to climb mountains, be flexible and adapt to life’s challenges, and learn… I still have so much learning to do! Now that I am 33 I don’t think of it as a secure, cool, and exciting age… I think of being at the beginning of a new and sweet chapter of my life. I was right; this will be a special year and I have no idea what that looks like but I am ready for it. 

For my birthday I would like to say that your “prime” is your present day, there will never be another day that is as special as the one you are in right now. Embrace the season, the ups and downs, the aches and pains, the excitement and the boredom, just know that you are special, your birthday is a celebration and you are your own hype squad. Get excited about your life because this is it. 

33, 44, 55, 66… apparently I like double-number ages and that is why 33 sounded like such a great age back then. I am now pumped for birthday number 44!

Cheers to thirty-three years and a special year ahead! Let’s begin.