When our parents were still alive and living independently, my sisters Patty and Nancy spent the day after Thanksgiving doing Mom and Dad’s Christmas shopping for 13 kids, spouses, and grandkids. In the meantime, at Mom and Dad’s condo my brother-in-law Bob and I put up two tall Christmas trees, a nativity scene, outdoor lights, and other decorations. When my sisters returned with dozens of gifts, the wrapping began. By the time we went to bed the Friday after Thanksgiving, gifts were stacked up to a half-dozen deep under the tree in the living room. They were opened on Christmas Eve after we ate a traditional Slovak meal made from my grandmother’s recipes.
The last such Christmas was in 2018. Dad and Mom died within the past four years. This is the second year I’ve done no Christmas shopping. Family members in my generation once bought for everyone, and then we cut back by drawing one name each, but now we don’t even discuss whether we’ll exchange presents.