At Heartwood Commons, a co-housing community in Tulsa, neighbors who were strangers not long ago are making sure no one spends Christmas alone by creating their own chosen family.On Christmas Day, while families everywhere gathe r for traditional celebrations, this unique community has transformed the meaning of holiday togetherness. Residents opened their common house for the community's first big Christmas feast, complete with all the fixings, desserts, and most importantly, fellowship.Joella Anglin moved to Oklahoma two years ago and moved into Heartwood about six months ago, looking for a family community."A lot of people still have friends and family in the area, or the folks who are local or moved here to be near some family, but many of us don't," Joella Anglin said.Larry and Claudia Vandiver, who moved to Heartwood Commons a little over a year ago, say even though these people aren't blood relatives, it's as close to family as you can get."Because it's the holiday season and our tradition is to be with family. And we're, I guess, a substitute family in that sense for those that can't travel," Larry Vandiver said. "We are a family for the people, for everyone here, because so many people really don't have big families or they don't have families close by, and so we're each other's family."For residents like Anglin, these gatherings serve a purpose beyond tradition. She believes community connection addresses a critical health issue."I think loneliness is an epidemic that we are dealing with in this country that really decreases your longevity; even so, being connected to people is essential to our health, mental as well as physical," Anglin said.With gifts under the tree and enough food to last for days, Heartwood Commons demonstrates that family isn't always about blood relations."It's the family of choice rather than the one you happen to be born into," Anglin said.Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere -- 2 News Oklahoma on your schedule | Download on your TV, watch for free. How to watch on your streaming device Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices. Like us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram Watch LIVE 24/7 on YouTube ...read more read less