Everything changes, the world, Christmas and people.

The world has been constantly changing even though we do not realize it. There are changes that we notice and changes that we cannot perceive. We also change in that way, we change our hairstyle, our way of speaking and changes that no one notices instantly, we change our way of seeing life, our way of expressing ourselves, we learn new things to be better, so many things we do and build every day to be better every day.

In the world we can see small changes every day, the clouds change, the temperature changes, things also change for a while, like the change of the weather seasons, maybe today snow falls somewhere in the world and in a few months the leaves will fall from the trees, there are predictable changes and unexpected changes. Where I live snow doesn't fall, but I would love to one day be in a place where I can watch the snow fall from my window or go for a walk, it must be very cold, but I will endure as much as necessary.

There used to be a big continent called Pangaea, where all the emerged lands of the planet were grouped together. And now we are all very separated, that was not a change that happened in a year or two, it took thousands of years to create the world as it is today, this world that continues to change daily without us realizing it. And what does all this have to do with Christmas? It has a lot to do, because I am talking about the changes that are noticed after several years or small changes. Changes that happen every day but that you don't realize, when the year passes is that you notice that your children are older or that just a few days ago we celebrated the arrival of 2021. Until recently we did not use masks to go out in the street and now it has become normal, there is a virus that we never thought would be present.

Everything changes, the world, Christmas and people. New people come, others leave. Rain falls, clouds roll over the world. Everything is in constant change. The lights on the Christmas tree turn on and off, their colors change too. What beautiful lights, and what beautiful lights in the sky, those lights also turn on and off, the sky looks like a big nativity scene with that bunch of lights we call stars.

As soon as we wake up today, we get out of bed and see that Christmas is fast approaching. We feel like yesterday was August and today is December, how did it all happen so fast? Tomorrow we wake up and we will be opening our gifts with our relatives or sharing with them, wishing health for the rest of the year and for next year. We always wish for the next year to be better, but we can't just wish for it, we must also work to make the next year or the next day better. To be better every day.

Saturday, December 11

"December, the most beautiful month of the year" most would say, but I want to take the opposite, it is not the most beautiful month of the year, all months are beautiful, what happens is that in this month we see the most decorated places, but wait, we also decorate in valentine's day or halloween, then it is not only that, it is also because we share with our family, we see our children, grandchildren or nephews open their gifts and see their excited face because Santa Claus brought them the toy they wanted, now they can play with their friends, they can ride their new bike and go for a ride. Bicycles bring back a lot of memories, well these last few months have brought back a lot of memories.

Christmas has changed a lot throughout my life. I have seen how it has changed and how my family has changed. Everything has changed, just as I have changed, my parents have seen me grow, from a little girl who couldn't walk, to who I am today, and I have seen them change to where they are today... My parents are more beautiful haha

I used to ride a bike with my neighbors, we went out almost every day, we talked, we had competitions of who could ride faster, we fell, we tried to do different maneuvers on the bike, but one day, I realized that it wasn't the same anymore, the bike was shrinking! The bike was getting smaller and smaller, I couldn't ride it like before. That Christmas, years ago, I asked Santa for a new bike, I also asked him for a radio, I loved to listen to music, I had several records of shakira, cianuro candies, olga tañon, but nowhere to put them. I have always had different tastes in music since I was little. Santa always brought me everything I asked for, but that Christmas he brought me only the radio, I didn't care, I was very happy. I have a picture to prove it, but I don't know where it is. I remember very well that in the box of the radio there was a note, it said to go to the backyard of the house, when I went I found the surprise, there was the bike I wanted and it was purple, I love purple, I was very happy, I went out immediately to ride it with my friends, I wanted to show everyone my new bike, it was not that the previous one had shrunk, what happened is that I grew up and I did not realize it. It was a change I hadn't noticed!

Santa was always good to me, I still have all the gifts, some I still use and some I have as memories. Thank you Santa @Frankmart. For many years I have not asked Santa for anything, but he gives me gifts, he gives me more time with my family, health, happiness. Last time he gave me a Luffy doll and he gave my brother a Zoro doll, they are characters from One Piece, even though we didn't ask him for anything, Santa gave us gifts.

Santa Claus has become very modern, of course, with all the technological advances Santa also had to update himself. I asked him for a digital tablet to be able to draw better and he already has it, but he is in Spain, he hasn't been able to send it to me yet, I hope he can send it soon hahaha.

My father also asked for some gifts and they are also in Spain, he asked for some molds to make cement pots and some brushes to draw. My mother didn't ask for anything, but Santa Claus here in Venezuela will give her some presents.

Luis asked for guitar strings and guitar picks. Santa Claus also has them in Spain.

Santa Claus is so modern, we just selected what we wanted in a page, we transferred the money and he received the things at his home and he had to check that all the things were ok, now Santa Claus has to pack them and send them by plane hohoho.

I have so many memories and so many changes have happened, I am no longer in Pangea where we were all close. I was always at home with my parents, with my grandmother and my brother, there have been many movements of the tectonic plates, these movements made us separate physically, and each one became an independent continent, that grew and developed in its own way, but we stay united thanks to the internet, we are different continents, each one physically separated by little or many kilometers, but we are still united through a message, a call, a joke, a photo....

Everything has changed, the world has changed, we have changed and our Christmas has changed too...

We have always spent Christmas as a family. We used to celebrate Christmas at our house, at my aunt Mirna's house (my mother's sister) or at my paternal grandmother's house, we always planned where we were going to be. If on the 24th we were in Cumaná on the 31st we would be in Puerto la Cruz, if on the 24th we were in Puerto la Cruz, on the 31st we would be in Cumaná. It used to be like that... But now it has become very difficult, my parents no longer have a car and many of my relatives in Puerto la Cruz have left the country. Now my parents only celebrate December at home or at my aunt Mirna's house, who lives near them.

These photos are from 2010, we were celebrating new year's at my paternal grandmother's house.

When my grandmother passed away we stopped going to her house. We still spent Christmas with the family in Puerto la Cruz, but now it was at my aunt Nancy's house (my father's sister).

There was one Christmas where I invited my friends and my mother invited her students, it was actually a few days before Christmas, but we still had our Christmas dinner, watched movies and sang karaoke. These photos are from 2012

My mother was really happy, she has always enjoyed Christmas and sharing with friends and family.

December 2012 was spent in Puerto la Cruz, at my aunt Nancy's house, my father's sister. The beautiful woman who is alone in the picture. There we shared with my dad's siblings and my cousins.

I used to love spending Christmas and New Year with my aunt Nancy, where she lives they would set off different fireworks, they looked very pretty, but it also made me a little sad because the dogs get very scared with the sound of the fireworks.

In 2013 we spent Christmas at my aunt Mirna's house. For the first time, I saw my brother dance a lot.

We enjoyed being with the family, this time my aunt made the hallacas.

My aunt lives near us, so we can walk to our house. When we finished dinner and sharing, we all went to our house to continue sharing there while singing karaoke.

That year Santa Claus gave me a Luffy figurine and my brother a Zoro figurine. The figures were in those packages, but we had not yet unwrapped the gifts.

2015 was a good year, it was also a year of many changes. At that time I was studying civil engineering in Puerto la Cruz and I was living with my aunt Nancy. My aunt's house is close to the university where I was studying.

That year I cut my hair short, it was the first time I had such short hair and I also decided to paint it, I wanted to make some changes and look different. I loved my new haircut. I had never thought about painting my hair

2015 was a good year, it was also a year of many changes. At that time I was studying civil engineering in Puerto la Cruz and I was living with my aunt Nancy. My aunt's house is close to the university where I was studying.

That year I cut my hair short, it was the first time I had such short hair and I also decided to paint it, I wanted to make some changes and look different. I loved my new haircut. I had never thought about painting my hair

My brother learned to make ham bread that year. My father taught him how to make delicious ham bread. Thank you father, you always teach us important things, thank you for your patience and all your love. @FrankMart

My brother was very happy, his ham bread was delicious.

My father is a great cook, we all love his food. He not only cooks well, he is also kind and very patient to teach us how to cook or to teach us anything else we want to learn.

In 2016 we also spent the year at home, my mom was so happy. I don't know why but I think this is her favorite month.

Here I have a picture with Luffy (the dog) and Catalina (the cat). Catalina is no longer with us, but she will always be in our hearts.

Catalina died in January 2021

The blouse I am wearing was made by my mother, it is the first blouse she ever made. I love it.

There was a neighbor who was not with his family, his family had gone on a trip and he stayed to take care of the house.

We invited him to be with us for Christmas, so he wouldn't feel so lonely. He had dinner with us and also sang karaoke.

2018 was the first time I spent December 24 with Luis' family.

I was with his siblings, parents, brothers-in-law and his grandmother.

It was quite a different dinner than I had been used to, at that dinner we played golf.

We also gave many gifts and received many presents. That year, Luis and I were moving in together, so they gave us a silverware and a pair of glasses.

Santa Claus gave Luis an electro-acoustic guitar. A guitar that he needed. Luis had gone days before to buy it but couldn't afford it, so Santa gave it to him on Christmas. I was raising money to be able to give him that gift, it was a great surprise for him. Luis was very happy, it was the guitar he had liked.

That same year we spent the 31st at my parents' house. My aunt Dangmar and my cousin Rafael celebrated with us. It was a different 31st. Luis also had a great New Year's Eve with my family.

We had a great December 31 with our family and neighbors. Of all that happened, what I liked the most is that my mother looked like a princess.

These are almost all my Christmas photos, I lost a lot of them. My computer had been damaged, so I lost the Christmas photos from the last few years.

In spite of everything that has changed in the world, the new family members, the family members we have lost, and everything that has changed in each one of us, there are always things that have remained the same:

• Family is important, we must always be united.

• In spite of everything, no matter what difficulties arise, we make a good dinner, we enjoy and share as a family.

• My grandmother is the first one to sit at the table.

• My mother and grandmother make the hallacas. My mother makes the cake and my father makes the ham bread.

• I am the photographer, so there are not many pictures of me.

• We enjoy and sing karaoke with our family, friends and neighbors. No matter the day, the important thing is to share and enjoy.

• We always love and respect animals, they are important to us.

• Dad and mom will help us as much as possible, no matter if it is something difficult to do or hard to get, they will do everything they can to help us.

• Your grandparents, cousins and aunts and uncles will love you above all things.

• There is always a place at our table for anyone who needs it. A new family member, a neighbor or an old friend is always welcome in our home.

We have changed, we have grown, we have loved and best of all we have shared, despite all the changes we always try to share as a family.

I have always been happy, I hope I will always be happy.

My wonderful sponsor @gertu13 is doing a Christmas challenge, this article is my entry to participate in this wonderful contest.

This is one of my favorite Christmas photos, before my brother moved to Spain. It's the only photo I found and I don't know what year it's from...

See you in the next article! ❤️

All content is original

Photos are taken by me or my father, I have permission to use them.

Greetings from Venezuela❤️😊