Have you ever thought about what a normal Christmas means to you? Christmas 2001 was far from normal for us; we were in Qualicum Bay Resort in our RV. No snow, just plenty of rain. We’re from Alberta, so snow at Christmas is the norm. Family and friends, with lots of decorations and lights, were also part of our regular Christmases.

Last Christmas, spent in an RV, proved to be different, however, different isn’t always negative. Everyone in the park was away from family; and my husband, Randy, was away working. Fellow RVers put coloured lights up all around the RV park on awnings and around windows. Tiny Christmas trees were decorated with tiny decorations. Mine was handpicked to fit on an 18-inch shelf. Before moving into our RV, I carefully chose our smallest decorations to bring with us and stored the rest. I made a few new decorations and hung them on the tiny tree; the few Christmas cards I received were on the higher shelf. It was beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

One day my neighbour, living in a 28 ft motorhome, came home with a full-size Christmas tree. I was curious to know how he planned to get the thing in the motorhome, never mind decorate it and walk around it. The next day it was gone from his deck, I never did find out if it found its way inside.

Christmas day came, and my youngest daughter, Susan, was visiting me, so I couldn’t whine about being completely alone. The owners of the park, Hans and Christine, came around and gave us all tinfoil wrapped banana bread and a Christmas card with a handwritten invitation to an informal roast beef dinner December 28 at the park clubhouse. The fact that they took the time to walk around the park and pass out cards and banana bread was impressive.

I attended the dinner with my oldest daughter, Jacqueline, who was spending a few days with me. The food was exceptional and the company even better. After grace, there were introductions; we had an interesting bunch here, people from all walks of life as with most RV parks. Some were permanents and others just passing through. One couple was openly thrilled to have been included in this wonderful dinner. They said in all the travelling they’d done, they had never been invited to a dinner such as this.

Jacqueline was made to feel wanted, and was included in conversations; even with the vast array of ages and lifestyles I found this fascinating.

After dinner the rain had let up, so Jacqueline and I went for a walk around the park. The twinkling Christmas lights were beautiful; one couldn’t help but be in the Christmas spirit.

Before Christmas I had been feeling lonely and sorry for myself, but the warmth I felt from my fellow RVers changed all of that. I was left with good feelings of being welcomed and part of an extended family.

The dictionary definition of "normal" is conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern. Since moving into our RV in May 2000, our lives have not been normal, however, I’ve come to realize normal is wherever we are at the time. This is our normal. I look forward to future summers, holidays and the new friends our normal life will bring.