I'll be home for Christmas again this year.
Christmas Eve will be the same as all the years before. We'll spend the evening eating Mom's homemade fried chicken while we watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Christmas Vacation.
On Christmas morning, we'll all wake up early, sit in our pajamas, and sleepily take turns opening our gifts (youngest to oldest, of course).
We might take an early nap, but eventually we'll make our way to Christmas lunch at Nanny's house. We'll pass out all the gifts. We'll rip and tear until the room is covered with ribbons and paper. Dad will take charge when it's time to clean up, then we'll quickly make our way to the kitchen for firsts, seconds, and maybe thirds. This Christmas will be exactly the same as the one before, except for one thing.
You can't be here this year. No one will say anything because it seems like it was only yesterday.
Someone else will be the first to greet us.
Someone else will comment on the basketball game.
Someone else will sit in your chair.
It won't be the same without you.
But we have each other, and we'll try our best to keep going.
We love you.
