Where Are You Going? Oregon!

December 11, 2020

This Christmas season couldn’t be here soon enough. With the semester coming to a close, things in Lynchburg begin to slow down, but this Christmas is a bit different than the past few, as I will be able to visit my family at our home in Oregon. It has been since 2017 that I last spent a Christmas at home, and I am dying to revisit some of our family traditions.  Having moved to Lynchburg in 2014, I haven’t had too many opportunities to return home. This trip will include a weekend stay at the coast, meals that have been in conversation since February, and plenty of losses in cribbage to my father.

As I get older, holiday seasons can begin to feel like almost as much work as the rest of the year, especially when traveling across the country. With only a week to see all your family and friends, you have to be tactical. This year, however, I am lucky enough to bring my fiancé to my childhood home for our second Christmas together, and I specifically requested rest. This means a weekend at the Oregon coast playing card games, going on walks at the beach (in the rain I assume), eating, napping, and pretending to read a book.

If you haven’t noticed, most almost everything that I have written for the SA Blog over the past couple years has been centered around food, and I come by this honestly. Most of our time together is centered around our meals, and when we are only together for a few meals then you know they are well planned. The crown jewel of the holiday menu is the Rueben sandwich. From the home-made corned beef, to the sauerkraut, this is a meal that I quite literally dream of.

After a couple nights at the beach, we head home for more of what I can safely assume will consist of more restful activities. Having grown up in a place that regularly has white Christmases, I am holding onto hope that this year will feature the same, as this will keep us inside, avoiding any potential yard work projects my parents want finished.

My family lives in a small town along the Columbia River, which makes an incredible scene for walking our dogs and catching up on conversation. Although I have specifically requested a restful week at home, I would kick myself if we didn’t fit in at least one hike while back in the northwest, and possibly a drive up to Mt. Hood to take in the incredible view.

While things can seemingly change so abruptly and leave us in a vacuum of distance, it’s important to remember the things in life that are constant. I am blessed enough to say that my family and friends are just that, and I look forward to the time we will spend together, whether it be on the sofa, a trail, or around the dinner table.

---