Hi, hopefully this is just a quick one, but who knows with me - haha.
Been so busy with the run up to Christmas and general stuff that I haven't posted anything for ages. But then again, haven't really had much I've wanted to write about to be honest.
Anyway, Christmas is now over for another year and I'm already starting on next year's in the sales. Like to see if I can get some decent birthday presents in them too. So 1/2 doz birthday presents are now done and about the same of Christmas 2011, plus all the cards and wrapping paper bought too! One satisfied and rather smug lady later curled up on sofa with a glass of fizz!
Anyway, back to thoughts. Does anyone else feel that there is loads of hard work, planning, organising, stress, cooking, build up and whatever else you can think of in the run up to Christmas (which I may add takes me months as I make all the cakes, puddings, etc too) and then the day is over in, well, minutes really. Once the kids have opened their presents and dinner is eaten, it kind of feels a bit flat! And by Boxing Day I'm ready to take down the decorations, put away the presents and get back to normal.
Some may argue that it's because I'm not religious so I don't 'get' the meaning of Christmas, but that's, well, pants really. I do Winter Solstice on 21st/22nd December, so I've done my 'religious' bit a few days beforehand. And, even though I'm not religious in the Christian sense of the word, I do like a good carol service. I did my Shoeboxes for Charity, but they are delivered in late November, so that doesn't add to my Xmassy feeling either. I always have people round (we had 6 for dinner this year) and I did the trampolining group Xmas party, so I feel that I've done the entertaining bit as well and my son has managed to get pretty much all of what was on his list (admittedly his list isn't that long in comparison to a lot of kids and I always buy him a couple of extra bits on top - I do mean a couple too, not dozens more), so he's been catered for and is extremely happy. But me, I'm just not that into it any more. This year I didn't get any Christmassy fuzzy feeling until Christmas Eve and that had all gone by about 7.30pm on Christmas Day. Am I becoming Scrooge in my old age?
I would dearly love to be able to leave everything to the last minute; stick the decorations up Christmas Eve (or maybe 21st December as I have a real tree anyway, so would fit in nicely with the Solstice) and rush around like a headless chicken for the two days and then chill out in preparation for New Year, but I know I can't do that. Even now, with months of organising, I still have the last week stress attack. Perhaps that's the problem. Christmas has become too much for me! Some would say it's because it's too commercial nowadays. Some, ie my partner, say I expect too much of myself in the search for the perfect day. Some would say that the kids expect too much and therefore there is too much strain on the wallet.
However, I have another theory! I honestly believe that Christmas is for children and children only. I used to adore Christmas when I was little. It was the same every year. Up early(ish) on the day with my stocking in my bedroom (Callum still has that now), then presents downstairs before going to my Aunt's house for dinner and more presents. Then Boxing Day my other 2 Aunts would come to us for tea. I loved it! But now, looking back, I can see that for my parents and especially my mum it would have been a nightmare of stress, organising, travelling, present buying, food shopping, etc, etc. In other words exactly like my Christmases are now!
I used to always go to my mum's for Christmas or she and dad would come to me. Once I had my daughter that stopped as I wanted Christmas Day just for us as a family without having to drag my daughter away from her toys on the Day. I then saw mum and dad on Boxing Day. I thought my mum would be upset, but I remember her saying that she was pleased and that now she could dispense with all the hassle. When my dad died, she went one step further and decorated her pot plant rather than a tree and had burgers and chips for dinner because that was her favourite. At the time it seemed weird, but now I can totally see her point. Can you?
Christmas is great when you are little; when presents appear from nowhere and people arrive to eat, drink and be merry. It's great when you are in your teens when you can go out with your mates, buy them drinks instead of presents and crawl, hungover, to mum's on the day. But when you are a parent, especially as you get older, it becomes more and more like hard work and less and less enjoyable.
Don't get me wrong, I still love Christmas. Honest, I do! I love watching people open their presents; I love giving people food and having their company, but that enjoyment is shorter lived now. It is the day and the day only. The time before is stressful and the time after is seen through an exhausted haze, but I wouldn't change it. I'm just wondering if I'm the only one. Bah Humbug!
