Welcome Home! The Importance of Holiday Dinners for Families Separated by States

​The holiday season is finally upon us, which means I’ll soon be booking train tickets back home from school. ​

Just the thought of getting to see my mom and my little sister is super exciting, but not as exciting as when we inevitably pack our bags and take a trip up north from our home in Virginia to our family’s home in New Jersey.
 
My mother and I left New Jersey when I was six years old, moving seven hours away - give or take traffic - to start new jobs, new schools, and a brand new life. However, we never disconnected from our loved ones that we left behind. My grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins still live back in the city of Perth Amboy, so every year, from October to December, we as a family decide where we’re spending our holidays. This year, we’ll be traveling to celebrate my grandma’s 76th birthday, along with Christmas and possibly New Year’s Eve. 

​It’s so important for us to stay connected, not only because we’ve prioritized family as a whole, but because each of us is very involved in our own lives. Personally, as a sophomore in college juggling clubs, organizations, and an internship, I usually don’t take much time out of my day to check up on my family members unless there’s a big emergency. I have a very narrow lens on most of time, which makes seeing my family for a week or two over the holidays even more special. It’s during that time that we get to catch up what everyone’s been accomplishing, and we also get to reminisce about the things we’ve experienced in the past.
 
It’s been three years since my grandfather passed away, and it’s still rough for my family each time the holidays come around. Missing such an integral member of our small family is another reason why it’s so important for us to see each other every year. Because losing him was so unexpected, we all realize how fleeting life can be and how important it is to keep those you love close to you. When we get together for those few days, we go out to eat, watch movies, 

play games, and have huge family talks, just so we know that we never wasted any of the moments we had together.
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​Between stuffing our faces with food and cracking jokes, I know that I can count on my family to make the most of the limited time we have together over holiday breaks. Staying connected with loved ones is important to me, because they’re the people who, whether we speak every day or not, I know will always have my back when I need them most. December is still a little ways away, but as I count down the days until I’m reunited with my family, I thank God for the opportunity to celebrate life and joy with the people I love most. 

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Written By Iyana Botts