We all knew what was coming; we didn’t know how or why, but it was coming.
We dreaded that day that was circled on the calendar. But, there was no ignoring it.

We couldn’t escape Aunt Gertie’s Christmas party.

It was that we hated her…or her lethargic husband, but rather it was the great lengths she went through to make it enjoyable. It was quite painful to watch.
The halls would be covered in silver tinsel and plastic holly, followed by the crooked pink tree in her living room. Stockings filled with stale cakes and bad walnuts were always waiting for us above the fireplace.

And just when we thought it couldn’t get worse, Aunt Gertie would “surprise” us with her new light up skirt or Christmas sweater.

But this year, when we got there, none of that was in sight. “I’m getting old,” she said with a smile and sad shrug as she handed us neatly wrapped gifts.

Funny thing is, we missed the tinsel.