Holidays... of Old

I have decided that Christmas is probably close to the most stressful time of the year. Living on the main highway to and from a major mall is close to torture. Forget leaving your house during any hours between 10am and 10 pm. Ridiculous! Not to mention, the never-ending gift giving. I imagine that all the Christmas scenes from the 1800's didn't quite look like this. You made gifts, went to parties, and enjoyed the mirth of others. Much lost is the gathering around a piano as all the members of the family sing harmonizing your favorite Christmas carols. My family has done that from time to time, but it's not a staple. Families would sit around a fire and read or talk. My favorite part of holidays are family gatherings because we sit around and laugh! How I love my family - I can always find them by listening to their laugh. (At least, that's how we find them after church is over.) Now that my older sister is married, our family is larger. I love having everyone here. I know that Christmas has changed over the years... Maybe my view is insane because it's from reading too many Romantic literature. :) Oh well, I guess that I can leave my stress behind and delve into a good classic... There are a few Austen novels that I haven't read. On to my reading list!