A New Christmas

My older daughter remarked Christmas Eve that the dining room table at her grandmother's house had different people in different places this year.

My father-in-law wasn't there (died in April).  My niece's fiancee was sitting in the chair that used to hold my brother (died in 2007).  My sister-in-law's boyfriend sat at the end of the table where one of the nephews used to sit. He moved to the other side of the table.  My mother wasn't sitting near the dining room door at the kitchen table with me (died in April). My spouse had taken her place and younger daughter joined us there.  Only a couple people were sitting where they had for 20+ Christmases before.

The traditional menu was the same, the food good and bountiful as usual.  Conversations were lively and merry.

It was just different this year. Good, but different.