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Every Little Thing by April Jeppson

When someone asks how my holiday was, my mind immediately takes me back to the few magical days I spent up north. It wasn’t planned far in advance or meticulously orchestrated, but it turned out to be exactly what I didn’t know I needed. Spending a few nights in the house I grew up in, surrounded by family, felt like slipping into your favorite sweatshirt — it just fits, and it warms you in all the right ways.

There’s something about being back in your childhood home that’s both grounding and nostalgic. Walking down the stairs and every creak of the step takes me back 30 years. The scent of cinnamon mixed with the smell of the wood stove instantly takes me back to simpler times, it’s like stepping into a time capsule. But it wasn’t just the place that filled me with gratitude — it was the people.

At night we played cards, gathered around the table like when I would visit my grandma as a child. Watching my parents interact with my children is one of my favorite things in all the world. Whether they are cooking together or introducing each other to a TV show they enjoy, it just makes me so happy.

We had the opportunity to attend an 80th birthday party for my aunt. I saw family and cousins I hadn’t seen in years. Catching up, teasing each other and admiring how “grown up” we all had become. All while my children roamed the streets of my hometown on a search for the elusive Dairy Queen.

I know that not everyone has the opportunity to spend time with their family over the holidays. Some people don’t have a family they’d want to spend time with at all, and the weight of that isn’t lost on me. I’ve been gifted with parents that I genuinely enjoy being around. They’re not just my parents — they’re my friends.

Each night, we’d sit around the table or the living room and laugh until we cried. Not over anything profound — usually just some one liner or confusion over what someone said. But those moments of shared joy, where time seems to pause, are what refresh your spirit in ways you didn’t know you needed.

One night, after everyone had gone to bed, I stood in the living room, soaking in the stillness. I thought about how rare it is to have this kind of connection with family, and how easy it is to take it for granted. The holidays can be a whirlwind of obligations and stress, but those days up north reminded me of what really matters — being present, listening and laughing.

Writer Louisa May Alcott once wrote, “Stay is a charming word in a friend’s vocabulary.” This holiday, my family’s presence felt like one big “stay” — an invitation to linger a little longer, laugh a little harder and love a little deeper.

So, when someone asks me how my holiday was, I’ll tell them it was wonderful. Because it truly was. Not because of fancy meals or elaborate gifts, but because I got to sneak away to the place where it all began and be surrounded by the people who remind me of who I am.

Albert Lean April Jeppson is a wife, mom, coach and encourager of dreams. Her column appears every Saturday.