Canva edited the lead picture.
I know it might seem very early to celebrate Christmas, but there is a reason. My husband’s uncle, Uncle Laz, has dementia and cannot live alone. He is single, and looking after himself has become very hard. His family decided to put him in a home for older people so someone can care for him every day. Even in the home, Uncle Laz is always happy about Christmas. Every time we visit, he talks about it like it will come tomorrow. His joy is small but real. Seeing him makes us remember it is good to enjoy the little things in life.
Because of this, I sent a message to our family group saying that I wanted to have a small Christmas party for him. We didn’t know if he would be able to walk or celebrate by December, because his cancer has been getting worse. Every day, he seems a little weaker. The doctors said he might only have two months to live, but by God’s grace, he has been with us for five months now. Every day with him is precious, and I wanted to make it a happy day. We had a simple Christmas. A little tree was decorated, and Uncle Laz had a cozy spot to watch. We ate his favorite foods and sang songs together. He hummed and clapped, and his joy made everyone smile.
What made the evening special was seeing how the family came together for him. Everyone wanted to make him feel loved and remembered. Even if he sometimes forgets things, he could feel the care around him. By the end of the evening, I felt very grateful. Even though Uncle Laz was not very healthy and the future was unsure, he was happy. He enjoyed Christmas, not for the gifts, but because of love and family. his early Christmas showed us that family and love matter most. We don’t know how many more Christmases we will have with Uncle Laz, but this one will stay in our hearts.
