I have received information and materials from McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc., the makers of TYLENOL®.
The opinions stated are my own. This is a sponsored post.
When I was growing up, our house was always full of people during the holidays. I am the youngest of seven children and first became an Aunt at age three, so literally there was always countless family members around at Christmastime.
Since we had such a large family, we drew names for gifting, instead of buying for dozens. I was a little spoiled at this time since I was always in both draws – the one with my brothers and sisters and also in the other with my nieces and nephews {since they were around my age}.
Every Christmas Eve we all opened the majority of our presents, since we were all there. Dinner was eaten not at one table due to so many people in attendance. Instead, I remember eating on TV tables in the living room, everyone simply found a place to sit wherever they could. Also, due to the amount of people, it was always a loud time of year – very chaotic. Then, on Christmas morning, was the opening of the presents from just Santa and usually it was only myself and my parents there to do so.
Christmas these days look very different, since it’s just my family of five and my husband’s parents. Our holidays of present are with few people and more intimate in nature. I take a ton of photos each year, perhaps to make up for having only a few from when I was young.
We always gather together for Christmas Eve appetizers, all our favourite bite-sized goodies on one table. The girls leave out milk and cookies with some carrots outside for the reindeer and my husband reads ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas‘ before we tuck the girls into bed.
With fewer people – we buy presents for everyone and we all sit at the table together for dinner which is always turkey and all the fixings. My husbands parents come back over to our place before the kids wake on Christmas morning, so we can all open all our gifts together.
As you can see my Christmas and the traditions of today, looks remarkably different than years prior.
Well, different from the outside anyway.
The holidays aren’t measured by the quantity of people nor the money spent – but rather it’s the time spent, that truly matters most. No matter your family makeup or dynamic, it’s the root of the holidays that really count – family.
Remembering What Matters Most is so important, it’s those times spent with loved ones and feeling blessed for what you have. The best kind of present isn’t the one with the shiny wrap and oversized bow – it’s the hug when you welcome family into your home and the traditions that you hold dear.
For 60 years, the makers of TYLENOL® have helped to care for families. To celebrate the holidays this year, the makers of TYLENOL® decided to put a modern spin on Norman Rockwell’s classic holiday painting Freedom From Want, to help illustrate how modern families come together to celebrate what matters most during the holidays.
Visit TYLENOL® For What Matters Most™ to learn more about different traditions and dynamics, and how each one is different yet it’s the family unit that is timeless. It’s a video that just warms my heart!
To help spread the word on this important message and to remind everyone about #ForWhatMattersMost, for all family dynamics – please share the image below of the Beser Carr Schneider Musich family {one highlighted in the video}, by pinning it on Pinterest.
Robin says
What matters to me most at Christmas is that my kids are happy! If they are, I am.
Tara Cooper says
I think matters most to be at Christmas is spending time with family and friends
Chelley says
Family means the most. We travel 250 miles to celebrate- and make the holidays.
Tiffany says
I enjoyed getting to know you and your family’s traditions a little more. Family time is so important and that’s what I find important during this time of year.
Debbie W says
The last year we’ve had our highs and lows. We celebrated the marriage of our daughter, and then had a car accident a month later. Family is the most important thing. The presents are secondary.
Joann says
This is a lovely post! My favourite thing about Christmas is just having extra time to spend with loved ones too.
Stephanie Keeping says
Family is what matters the most to me!
Tammy @inRdream says
What a beautiful post Tammi. Your right it is not all about the gifts what truly matters to me is the magic that Christmas brings and the time I spend it with my family.
Kyla says
New traditions are awesome. But, I too miss the days of so many people huddled into one house.
Meagan says
I love Christmas time – the perfect time to reflect on the important things in life and spend time with family. I agree, Christmas shouldn’t be measured by the gifts we give or money spent!
Callie says
Christmas is my favorite holidays. When I grow up I want remember everything that made me happy on christmas!
Tammilee Tips says
Family is what matters most to me. Love the holiday season its nice reminder to look at what really matters.
kathy downey says
Family matters the most any time of year,love the photo
kristen visser says
awe what lovely photos. especially the one of your two girls looking at the tree. beautiful and beautiful post as well!
Crystal says
This made me think back to my childhood Christmas – we always had such big gatherings and we still do now but just a little different. But like you said, no matter the size of the gathering or the amount of gifts, it is the feeling that Christmas brings us inside that matters! Great post! 🙂
katrina g says
great pictures! we used to draw names as well, it makes it so much easier especially with big families.
Liz Mays says
I can’t wait to go up North and see family. They mean so much to me.
Ann Bacciaglia says
Family is what is most important to me. I love that we all get together and spend the day laughing together.
Sarah Marturano says
What matters to me most are the memories that are created during this time of the year. I love your photos!
Melissa says
I completely agree with you. The true beauty of the holidays is being able to spend time with loved ones.
Dede says
Love that black and white pic at the bottom!! So pretty. You’re right, family matters most at the holiday season. Our family also celebrates Jesus during this time of year.
Marina @ Mommy Snippets says
What matters most is what the holidays represent. Love, giving, sharing and most importantly, being good to one another.
ourfamilyworld says
Family is the most important thing ever, I love mine so much!
Florence C says
Enjoyed your post. Family means the most at Christmas time or anytime of the year.
Chandra Christine O'Connor says
this is the first yr in many we are staying home. I am enjoying having a Christmas tree. My oldest got married on the 12th so we had a big turkey dinner for 22 at our house. took a lot of work and long days and nights with no sleep. It turned out beautiful and I was really happy. So this Christmas we aren’t doing a turkey we are doing spaghetti and maybe shepherds pie. my family will be coming between Christmas and new years we are bbq steaks.
Racquel Schroder-Bregg says
Spending time together with family and friends is what is important to us at the holidays. We have some fun family traditions and seeing the excitement in our children every year brings us so much happiness.
Suzie says
Great message! Gifts are not what Christmas is truly about!
Brenda Roy says
Such a nice pic of you and your Mom; you were such a little cutie; just like your girls are today. We are so blessed to be able to get together for Christmas
Kristin says
Those are great Holiday memories! I still remember my Christmas’ growing up as a child and how our entire family would come and celebrate, my sister, cousins aunts and uncles it was such a special time. We would all stay up late giggling and during the day would go out and sled! I love the holidays!
Amy Desrosiers says
This Christmas is going to be is going to be so hard for us since my father passed away. I miss him so much already!
Brad says
Love spending Christmas with family and friends!
Jenn D. says
I couldn’t agree more with this post! It really is about the quality time spent with loved ones. I treasure them, as we grow older and our own families become larger, it seems harder to gather everyone at one time. Merry Christmas to all!
Suzie M says
pinned it
Family is always # 1 even more so at Christmas
NJ @littleluckeh says
So well written I love this “The holidays aren’t measured by the quantity of people nor the money spent – but rather it’s the time spent, that truly matters most. No matter your family makeup or dynamic, it’s the root of the holidays that really count – family. ” Perfectly said!
Laurie P says
Enjoyed reading your post! I most look forward to the HUGE dinner at my parents every year…..family is what it’s all about!
Jennifer Roberts says
What matters most is family
SUSAN PATTERSON says
Family and celebrating at church matter the most to me – thanks!
colleen says
Family is very important during the holidays. But since they r on the other side of the country, and so expensive to fly, I come to realize that I have a few very close and supportive friends. To me these friends are my family!
Allie f says
At the end of the day it’s the memories created with family and friends!
Lisa says
I love the picture of you when you were little! I swear my parents had the same couch. We had big celebrations as a kid too but they have definitely gotten smaller as I got older. But the most important thing for us is being together. I do stress over the ‘perfect’ gift but afterwards we all just love to hang out and play board games.
Carol M (Lushka S) says
Great article and love the tree!
angela m says
I think spending time with family and friends is the most important.