Last year, in preparation for a workshop, I asked women to share their favorite holiday memories. Many of these memories were of large family gatherings – a full house, piles of gifts, happy children, and an impossible amount of delicious food. At some point, we may not want to – or be able to – replicate these events. One choice for this year may be reimagining the holidays.

The more I thought about holidays past, the more I realized that my favorite memories were from childhood or young adulthood, or times when I didn’t have any hosting duties. Yours may be too. Also, many of the smiling faces are no longer with us, though, or have moved too far away to make the trip. Others have simply grown tired of hosting.

This year, instead of mourning holidays past, I will rejoice in the memories and honor them by reimagining celebrations. Perhaps others will do the same. Some will volunteer to prepare or serve holiday meals through God’s Love We Deliver and other organizations. I miss wrapping gifts, so will volunteer to do that.

Some are celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas/Hannukah together in a favorite restaurant. It’s a lovely way to enjoy great company without prep and clean up. (Yes, I may make small amounts of my favorites for a private celebration. It wouldn’t be a holiday without leftovers.)

I will go with friends to a few events that have become long-standing traditions – Fordham’s annual Carols and Lessons, the Tartan Fair, a    Christmas Eve service – and make two or three of my cookies for a newfound dinner group. And a friend will come over to help make black cake. That will be enough to create a joyful, stress-free holiday. What will you do to keep the joy and lose the sorrow this year?