Well, it’s another holiday season, and another Christmas and Hanukah for this blended family of religions and ethnicities, step-mom and boys, Felix and Oscar (characters from Neil Simon’s classic “The Odd Couple”), and so many other differences it makes this dad’s mind boggle.  But, there will be no holiday blues in this family; maybe some black-and-blues, but no “blues.”

We’ve made peace with all these differences, truly, so that the holiday season by now is truly joyful though often a logistical challenge as it is for so many other families.  This is the first year where we are unable, due to these logistics, to spend some of the holidays with my wife’s parents and her family. Those details are the same as for so many other families of “he wants, she wants, his turn, your turn,” etc.  However, we will be going on a lovely vacation, the four adults, early next year so we’ll have plenty of time together then.