My First Grown-Up Easter/Holiday.

Today was a milestone.

Today was the first time that Dave and I split up the holiday between families as a married couple.

Now, we've been together for 5 and a half years. I hate change, especially when it comes to family traditions and where I eat my overdone poultry and pig. So while dating, and even for the first half of our engagement Dave and I would kiss goodbye and go our separate ways for the holiday. I love my man and couldn't wait to start making traditions of our own, but with one of my sisters still at home, and myself in denial about adulthood, it's tough to start switching things up.

In my humble opinion, holidays are for family. After you send your text messages to friends and call your beau for 20 minutes, it's time to turn off your phone, change into your comfy clothes and prepare for a 2 hour long game of monopoly where you hope you're the banker and get ready for some crying over park place. Because that's what family is all about.

I digress.

With the wedding quickly approaching in February last Thanksgiving we were nervous that we'd have to make one of those adult "so do we start doing this together?" decisions. Fortunately for us my younger sister who is an RA drew the short stick between her coworkers and was on duty for Turkey day. So my family decided to celebrate the day after.We spent the actual Turkey day with his fam and the next day with mine.

Two Thanksgiving dinners two days in a row? YES PLEASE. But alas, I found that there was a downside. Now that our miniature family (Bruin is surprisingly human like, as I will write about in the future I am sure. So yes we count as a family)  had finally spent a holiday together with both families Christmas glared its big red-green glowing head around the corner. Had we set a precedent? Are we now expected to be together for Christmas?

I don't know about you but Christmas in my family is one of those days where there is an unspoken code of conduct. The exact same, yet different thing everytime. Sister presents by the Charlie Brown Tree, then stockings,  then wake mom and dad up, picture on the stairs, presents, handfuls of bread from the kitchen throughout the process, everyone goes upstairs and fondles their gifts, back downstairs for leftovers, movie, games, change into a different pair of pajamas, more games. Every time.

Moral of the story: Don't mess with my Christmas.

Dave is also in the same position with his family. Younger brothers, and tradition as deep as canyons.
We both love both families a lot and were avoiding a decision as long as possible. So when his family said that they were going up to Canada for Christmas to visit the grandparents, Dave checked his work schedule at the time and found that he was working many of the nights so couldn't travel that far. Another person's misfortune again worked out for my best. We did Christmas with his family before, and then the actual day with mine. Easy.

So then there was Easter. No relatives needing a visit, no schedule snafus to be had, no moving around of days. And, the clincher: Dave and I are married now. I want to spend the holidays with my husband, which trades off to mean that I have to start making decisions.

Well, we need to start making decisions. You get it.

Regrettably, both of our families are understanding and easy going. We didn't have any demanding in-laws or begrudged sisters demanding us to spend the whole time. Both of our families said that we could do whatever we'd like and they'd understand. DAMN.

When presented with one of our grown-up decisions we did what any other responsible adults would do: avoid making a decision.

Friday before Easter we still had no clue what we were doing. I knew we had to make a decision. In the end, it was easy enough to split the occasion up by baskets and church, and then travel elsewhere for dinner and dessert. I polled the parents, still no-one cared which part of us they got. Just as long as they got to see us. And of course Dave is understanding and easygoing so he would, "Blah BlahDo whatever I'd like to do and is important to me. Blah Blah."  UGH. I love that guy. But someone throw me a bone here.

Confused and avoid all decision making possible I did what any adult would do: I called up my baby 16 year old sister and forced her to pick.

 She wanted to have dinner. Decision made. Thank god. I got the feeling though that I was the only person who was really stressed about this decision.

Today, everyone was wonderful. Happy to see us there, understanding when we had to go. We had a blast with both of our families. Watching the Bruin's own the Canadiens with his, and playing that super cool dance game with the xbox kinect that you get all sweaty playing with mine.

Though the word is often overused, I have to admit, it is a little bittersweet. I miss being able to just sit back and let the holiday happen as it does. I miss being around for every moment with my family. And fulfilling the tried and true traditions that we've created. On the other hand, I like being a part of his family's traditions, spending the day with my husband, and making new traditions.

So for now, we'll split up the day, and probably leave the decision to the last minute and possibly up to a minor. Which is okay.

Don't get me wrong though, I'm kind of glad that the next huge holiday isn't for another few months.

Until then I'll get used to the idea of traveling.

Bruin, I have a feeling, certainly won't mind.