Deda, my sister and I have talked about that, too. Her kids are more able and inclined to gather at holidays, but we both have puzzled over how we went from the kind of family that got together at every holiday,etc. the whole bit, to being scattered wide and hardly ever being together. It does feel somewhat karmic, but I think it is also the way society has evolved with families not having to stay together to keep the family farm going, easier modes of travel with which to move about, etc....just the way it is. In some ways I think it is better and others not. I remember a few times I felt it was really difficult to be involved in a holiday and I do NOT miss my other sisters calling me when I lived back East to tell me each Christmas would be mom's last that I'd better get out there, BUT all in all I loved the holidays when we were growing up and when bet's and my kids were little and it does make me sad that we just don't have that anymore. It really hurts, sometimes, that our grandsons are growing up with none of that with family.