Cherish Christmas time spent with your family

Moose Jaw - Christmas means a lot of different things to different people and I'm not going to get into some kind of self-righteous rant on the true meaning of the holiday.
For me, one of the main things that Christmas means to me is family. I enjoy every Christmas I spend with my immediate family, specifically my wife and our dog (yes, he's family.)
However, I just realized recently this marks the 10th anniversary of the last time I celebrated Christmas with my extended family - my parents, my siblings, their spouses and children.
Since 1999, I have lived far enough away from Ontario that it has been prohibitive for my wife and I to head back for just a few days at Christmas.
Now, there is something to be said for the solitude of a Christmas spent with just your spouse. It's not hectic, there's no toing and froing or juggling schedules among families.
However, I still miss the craziness of Christmas on a much larger scale.
Last year I really realized how much I miss it when I received a call from my father, siblings and a couple of nieces and nephews as they were all gathered at my oldest brother's home for Christmas. It sounded noisy, hectic and like a lot of fun.
I don't have a small family, despite the surname. With two brothers, one sister, their spouses, my seven nieces and nephews, their girlfriends/boyfriends, my dad and an aunt on my mom's side who usually joins us, it can number upwards of 16 to 20 people. It's a lot of people but that can make for a fun, albeit crazy Christmas.
And with my mom's family (she was one of six kids), we used to gather annually for Christmas and at that event, there could be 50 or more people. It's something that is no longer done as everyone has grown a little older, but I still miss it.
So, as Christmas approaches next week, I will cherish my time with my wife and fondly remember the fun of Christmases past with my family. If you have the chance, make sure to spend time with your extended family around the holiday, it's worth juggling your schedule.

Jason Small can be reached at 691-1255.