How putting up lights saved my Christmas spirit

The Grinch has had nothing on me over the last few weeks.

With Thanksgiving plans changing, shuffling our kids between their other homes and the general stress of life in the world right now, “Bah humbug” is about the nicest thing I’ve said about the holiday season. I’m ashamed to admit that I even threatened not to put up the Christmas tree this year — twice.

Then it happened. As I watched our neighbors put up their holiday lights over the weekend, I started to feel just a twinkle of joy and knew it was something I had to do right away!

Jessica Janssen WolfordDecember 9, 2020Christmas, 2020, Omaha World Herald, Momaha, Holidays, Lights

Holidays with a blended family requires planning, coordination and extra compromise with everyone

Thanksgiving and Christmas are supposed to be warm, joyful, magical, spirited and sparkly. They’re all about family. But can it really be that way in a new version of a family? Those first couple of years after divorce, I wondered, “Can it be Christmas if you’re not with all the people you love on December 25"?

Jessica Janssen WolfordNovember 21, 2019OWH, Omaha World Herald, Momaha, Blended Family, Stepmom, Holidays, Christmas