Family Dynamics at Holiday Gatherings

                During the holiday’s, when thinking of the up and coming family dinner that comes along with the holidays (which I consider just a second Thanksgiving), I picture in my head the image of huge table of food, with plenty to fill everybody 100 times over, and the family reminiscing over adult talk, and the cousins and nephews veg’ing in the basement from full tummies, the Hollywood staple of what Christmas dinner should look like. Although that image in my head is a little too abstract to what I consider my actual family dinners, which really go something along the lines of my grandmother, uncle, aunt, mom, and dad, squeezing into our over cramped dining room table that is too used to seating only three or four, and sitting in mostly silence, while my mother and grandmother aid my Autistic aunt and uncle in getting themselves served, and making sure that my uncle doesn’t devour his food too quickly as he will frequently get sick.

                Although my holiday situation may seem extremely awkward to others, it isn’t too hard to handle, along with tons of experience with my Autistic relatives, I have my mother’s exquisite food to occupy all of my talking. Regardless, I wouldn’t for a single day trade my Holiday dinners for a the average family dinner, because I simply love each person in my family dearly, and each Thanksgiving, or Christmas, or just random visit I get anxious with excitement for them to arrive.