If you took the same days off that I did — Dec. 23 to Jan. 2 — your vacation started and ended the same way — with a snow shovel in hand.

But the time in between, spent with family and friends, was the best part of the time away from the office. The visits with loved ones could warm you up quicker than a drink by the fire or that Icy Hot on your aching back.

Sure, the week or so break is a good time to rest up and recharge, but it’s also the time of the year where you spend time with friends and family, some of which you may only see once a year.

Here’s a new year’s resolution for you on this first Sunday of 2009: Spend more time with family and friends. More than just those couple days around the holidays. Keep in touch more often that just with Christmas cards.

I think with the world being in such a crazy state of flux with the economy, job loss, housing issues and more, there’s one constant — family and friends will always be there, regardless of the economy.

Loved ones don’t care how much money you make or where you work. They care about relationships and spending time together.

The problem is that in our effort to get as much money as we can and meet our goals to buy big houses and cars, we overlook those loved ones and don’t take the time out to visit, tell old stories or play a board game. These days you might play some Guitar Hero, Wii video games or Seinfeld Scene It.

This Christmas holiday my wife and I were able to host a couple holiday parties with friends and family in our first home. It was a great break from the daily grind and helped create some new memories that we’ll have forever.

From the Dec. 23 to New Year’s Eve we were with friends and family. Busy schedules the rest of the year makes it tough to visit with loved ones that much, but we’re just as guilty as I’m sure many of you are in that we don’t keep in touch and make time for visits as much as we should.

It’s cheesy but true — we all need to work on better use of our time and fit in more time for family and friends.

During our visits this holiday season with loved ones there was no better compliment than to hear from a few that they read this column every week in the newspaper or on our Web site. That, to me, is a creative way of keeping up with the Marrens, especially since I write about Katie so much.

I was amazed at the trend that surfaced during the holiday parties; the world revolves around Facebook. (It’s an online social networking site that apparently everyone is on — except Katie and I.)

I knew we were out of the loop not having a Facebook account, but I didn’t realize how much. Cousins, aunts, uncles, friends — you name it — they are all on Facebook and know a heck of a lot more about each other than Katie and I did. We were clueless on the personal happenings of some of the family members because we don’t have Facebook. Those on the popular Web site talked about old school friends they’ve reconnected with or pictures recently posted that reveal a new boyfriend or girlfriend of an acquaintance.

Those with Facebook knew more about each other than those without.

Some of it is petty or drives the gossip, but it’s modern day contact and something that we may have to embrace. Where our parents made phone calls and sent letters, today’s communication consists of web postings. I know, it’s odd to some, and I’m with you, but it’s better than no communication at all.

The point is it opens that all-year communication instead of just Dec. 23 though Jan. 2, which we all need to improve upon.

If Facebook isn’t your thing, I hear the phone still exists.

Tim Marren is the managing editor of the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal. Contact him at Tim.Marren@lockportjournal.com or 439-9222.