The holiday-season artificialness has a problem in America: we’re not home together as a family. It’s normal to see our kids at concerts and beaches. But when they don’t see us regularly, the holiday draws closer to disappearing into the fog of our technology. How do we bridge that cultural divide? The group pictured in the picture above, students at The Village School in Connecticut, just hosted a weeklong summer camp that served as an offshoot of the Advent calendar tradition of Christmastime in which Advent always leads to Christmas.
For some families, it’s November when the festivities get started, or it’s mid-December when the Christmas music starts to blare in households. Children join middle school groups that reflect the different traditions of younger and older kids. And then there are the events where families help spread the cheer of Christmas, such as projects for less fortunate people or even an event like the one pictured above where they create boxes for local veterans.
December is a fraught time for many families. Parents work late and have issues with uneaten food, children wish they had more time with mom and dad on Christmas, and cousins from across the country get together at a beautiful home — or in one case, a massive beach house. What do these families do about the stress of holiday preparations?
Read the full story at The Village School.