My First Christmas without My Mom — my mom, Paula Patterson, passed away a few months ago and this was my first Christmas without my mom. I share my experience in this blog post.
My First Christmas without My Mom
Just like with Thanksgiving my wife and I would normally go get mom and bring her back to our place or we would go to her place and do Thanksgiving and Christmas there.
Plus just like with first Thanksgiving without my mom blog post, I plan to do it again for Christmas. I am hoping these can help others.
Well, my mom loved snowmen. We did get some Snowmen decorations and a snowman inflatable for memory of my mom. Yes, we kept buying snowman items, as a memory to my mom. I have been getting more snowmen in memory of my mom since she did.
Thanksgiving 2024 came later this year, November 28 to be exact, which is the latest it can, so that means Christmas comes sooner. Less than a month!
FYI, I am adding and writing this blog post as I go.
I’ve been told that since mom passed away real close to the holidays that I still will still be in shock and it wont be until next year when it will hit me. I think that was true. Maybe because I know my mom was saved she’s in Heaven and I am saved and will see her again. Maybe it was my faith this year, maybe I’ll blog on it next week.
I break down my Christmas for 2024, my first Christmas without my mom:
First we went to our church Christmas Party and I dressed up as Buddy the Elf. I handed out some little Jesus figures to the kids asking them their favorite color. I would then hand them one with the color of their choice.
Our pastor said I didn’t know Buddy the Elf was a Christian and asked my wife what’s it like being married to Buddy the Elf. I thank God He gave us a good sense of humor.
Next we had our small group Christmas party. We got to do a white Elephant and did the Saran Wrap ball game. We plan to do that when we go down to Georgia to see my daughter and her husband.
Then, I got to go to my works Christmas party at The Whistle Stop in Greeneville, TN and I got to try filet minion for the first time. I think I prefer ribeye better. My wife wasn’t able to go this year.
Plus, I got to go to the networking group Christmas part on behalf of my work. We did the white elephant there too. I ended up stealing and got a gift card instead of choosing a gift. My work is part of the BRNTC networking we meet weekly. One of my coworkers and I take turns going. This time we both actually got to go to the Christmas networking party this year.
My work closes for a week from Christmas through New Year’s. So I got some time off from work.
My wife and I went up to Kentucky and spent Christmas Day with her mom and stepdad. We were going to go up at Thanksgiving, but I was sick. That was good and needed to spend time with family on Christmas Day.
We even went to see Whooville in Barbourville, KY and saw the lights in downtown.
Then the weekend after Christmas, we went down to Georgia (no not like the song) to see my daughter and son-in-love. We meet and had dinner and then exchanged Christmas gifts. Plus, we did the Saran Wrap ball game there with them in the hotel lobby. The room wasn’t big enough for all four of us. I’m thankful the hotel lets you use the lobby as part of your stay.
Part of my daughter’s gifts were things of my moms, including a jewelry box with some of the family jewelry. See photo above.
I also got to hit up two quilt shops and got some fabric too.
Anyways, I bet that song is stuck in your head now, you know the one by Charlie Daniels. You are welcome.
I think things have been so busy, I haven’t had much time to reflect on things. Plus, getting to do all of the Christmas activities helped keeping it busy and your mind off things.
When I’d go shopping, I would see adult coloring books and it reminded me of my mom just like with snowmen. I usually buy my mom adult coloring books. I guess others did too, as going through her stuff, we found tons of them and color pencils, crayons and markers.
Maybe it will hit after the first of the year or I will feel different for Christmas 2025.
Discover more from Ducking for Jesus
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
