Janus- Looking Forward and Glancing Back

Happy New Year!   This is time for resolutions and new beginnings but like Janus, the Roman god who gave January it's name, I can't help looking back to the past as well as forward to the future.

I remember the holiday seasons of my childhood.

I remember the huge turkeys that had to be roasted for hours and hours before the family feast.

I remember what a big family we once were, all of my grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins.  

Christmas Day and New Year's Day were when we would all gather together for a huge dinner.  We would fill the house with card tables and folding chairs and still someone would be perched on the stairs balancing a plate full of food on their knee.

There would be a table for the adults and a table for the kids.  The adult table always seemed to be having more fun than the children!

After dinner we would ask the adults to teach us how to play our new games. But after a bit they would just take them over and leave us to our books and toys.  

As the children settled down the adults would become more rowdy.  It was loud and chaotic, crowded and very festive.   We are a much smaller family now and Christmas is a much quieter and more intimate affair.  We make it jolly and enjoy the traditional food and gifts but we miss those who are no longer able to share our celebrations.  So this New Year we look forward to the future with hope and glance back to the past to fondly remember all those who taught us how to celebrate the season and so much more!   Happy New Year!

Thanks to Andy and his family for letting me use the wonderful photos from their family photo album.