Traditions.
It is two years to the day since we left the USA for good. Last year it was an anniversary that came and went with a small recognition of the whirlwind of a year it had been. This year however, I’m not ashamed to say that I’m struggling, in no small part due to the pandemic and the US election.
As we begin our second national lockdown and face the prospect of Christmas without all the usual bells and whistles, I find myself feeling overly nostalgic and overwhelmingly sad at the state of the world.
Looking forward, I find myself focusing on the impact lockdown will have on our annual festive traditions. Last year we went to see the Christmas lights at Longleat, in the US we took annual trips on the Grand Canyon Polar Express and to the Phoenix Zoo Zoolights. In a mad panic to maintain normality, last week I booked us tickets to see the Christmas lights at Blenheim Palace. Who knows if we’ll get there with the ever-changing government guidelines, but it is definitely something to look forward to!
I’ve been looking through old images for this post. Now I’m deep in a hole reminiscing about the places we’ve been over the past five years and the traditions we made, and weeping at the thought of those traditions being on-hold this year.
Having a good ol’ sing song on the Polar Express in 2016!
This next one is a throwback to our first trip on the Polar Express in 2014. They were so small!
Searching back through the archives, one thing seems to tie every year together, and clearly it’s one tradition that we’ll be able to hold on to this year after all. There is always hot chocolate!
Thanks for joining us again this month. Don’t forget, post your {traditions} images on our Facebook page SHARE SIX or to our Instagram gallery by using #sharesix_traditions. A new theme will be posted on 6th December.
Up next in our blog circle is my lovely friend and extremely talented photographer, Lynne Grant. Click here to see her images and be sure to leave her some love!
Until next time, stay safe,
Ceri xx
We are all wondering how Christmas will be this year. Warms my heart to see that train tradition!
Ceri these are beautiful. I remember when you had to pack up and leave. How stunned you were. The good thing about being in places is that we have memories and we can look back and enjoy. These memories are precious and I love what you have shared.
Oh these are beautiful and emotive. I adore the tones and colors and contrast you use to create such vivid stories. Ceri, it’s true, you always have hot chocolate. And you have each other. So much love so evident here. Sending hugs! <3
What wonderful memories to hold on too, I hope you have a magical Christmas whatever happens, it will be our first one in 22 years not going to the in-laws so going to be very strange being at home! So I definitely feel for you.