The holiday season is often seen as a good time to connect with your relatives. It is a time filled with traditions that have been celebrated for generations within the family. Despite this, Consumer Reports finds that many Americans dread specific things about the holidays. Soon, families across America will be celebrating Christmas, Chanukah, Winter Solstice, Kwanza, or perhaps a combination of some of those holidays. There will be traditions that have been celebrated a certain way for generations, combined with new ones that are unique to each family. On paper, it sounds like a lovely time of year. Realistically, … Continue reading →

Each year during the holiday season, I learn a little bit more about my family. That is actually one of my favorite things about the holidays – seeing all of my family and getting to know them a little better each time I see them. While the information that I usually learn is not something that would appear on a pedigree chart, it is important information, nonetheless. I learn things about the relatives that I talk to, as well as those that are no longer alive. My aunts and uncles tell stories from their childhood, and they often take out … Continue reading →