How fortunate we are to be able to plan our family holidays and vacations months ahead of time with the shift calendar. When the calendar arrives, with great anticipation I am quick to check if my spouse is working the holidays. Aside from planning our family vacations.
Being married to a firefighter, for many of us we cannot say that we have the standard Thanksgiving holiday traditions, with time we just learn to adjust and accept that we will be celebrating at home or at the firehouse. As one fire wife, stated on Instagram @housewivesoflafd, “This is OUR Normal”.
Some years I am ecstatic that my firefighter is working the holidays, which means relieved of knee deep scrubbing the house for weeks pending family coming over, a break from the need to be in the kitchen days ahead of time diligently cooking and baking, not desperately running from decor store to decor store to design a beautiful home and elaborate table setting. Not to mention the great expense that goes into hosting the family dinner! Another upside, being able to see these fire heroes in uniform cooking dinner for us families and opportunity to meet other fire families. If your firefighter is working, I hope you have an opportunity to enjoy and meet other fire families. Reach out and connect because we are all in this fire life together. With that in mind, how many kids get to say they have been able to experience a holiday dinner at the fire station with some pretty amazing fire heroes? We are blessed to be able to create these wonderful family memories.
Let’s admit it, it’s nice to get that break every once in a while! Don’t get me wrong, I love to entertain at home and to continue some sort of home holiday traditions, but have learned to accept “OUR Normal” and that is if not able to make it the fire station when he is working, we celebrate the day before or after. So, on the other hand if he is not working, I enjoy knowing he’ll be home and I take pleasure in doing it all! I take that back, I do not do it all, except the pleasure of decor shopping. How fortunate we are to have hard working spouses that know how to clean and cook!
From fire family to fire family, warm Thanksgiving greetings! May the holiday shenanigans begin. In this month of Thanksgiving, remember Gratitude is in the Attitude. Be thankful for the elastic waistbands! No starting a fire to have your spouse home for dinner!