Florida is not the best locale to deck the halls or to basque in holiday splendor. Flocking to FLA’s beaches year round, it’s where northerners go to excommunicate old man winter and baby Jesus. Has anyone seen Christmas with the Kranks? But what temperature mercury hits, how much snow is on the ground and the amount of lights that defy logic (seriously, Floridians go all out) does not equate to festiveness.
I visited my family last week for Thanksgiving, and every trip back home, I learn something. I load onto the plane back to Philly with something I didn’t have before. And I’m not talking about material goods, although I always pick up some Florida souvenirs while I’m down. I’m not sure if you can relate, but it was awesome and amazing to see how much my family has grown. I don’t see them often, so when I do, I view their progress as giant leaps rather than baby steps. My big brother is filing bankruptcies as a lawyer, my little brother is running a restaurant on Newport Beach, my step sister just won state championship in Volleyball, my step brother is at his first year in college, my dad is building several new restaurants and my step mom (who has become more like a mother) continues to kill it with her home health care business. They’re equally as proud about my sewing accomplishments, or so they say! I couldn’t be more proud of the Flanigan clan.
Laugh at me for saying this – you can even point while you’re at it – but the lesson I learned this trip is that family is the key to getting into the holiday spirit. And family isn’t limited to brothers and sisters. While I was in FLA, I met up with Anto for lunch, and seeing her and all the work she is doing not only inspired me, but got me even more into the holiday spirit.
I hope that those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving had a great holiday as well. Now that I’m back from Florida, I’m back to sewing!
