This time 25 years ago, I’d be at my grandma’s house packing a truckload of gifts into giant trash bags to transport them home the day after a raucous Christmas Eve dinner. 40 or 50 family members would’ve mobbed through the night before. And after opening up our final gifts and overstuffed stockings, my mom and I would be loading up her car with presents, leftovers, and a fresh supply of family memories and inside jokes.

Since my grandma passed 5 years ago, my mom took over my grandma’s traditional menu (to perfection, btw.) Christmas will never be the same, but my mom keeps the memories alive through the meal. It’s a labor of love, but it’s a LOT of labor. So, I told her to take a break this year and treated her to a girls night at my place instead. I made dutch oven lasagna and cheesecake bites (my grandpa’s favorite dessert.) And we celebrated in our own little way. My cheesecake is 🔥, too.

Change will always feel like loss until you get proactive about creating what’s next. If your favorite traditions are impossible now, create some new ones ✨

Happy Holidays!