O.k. I've just sat down at my computer ready to write about what is generally in the news and how quickly they gloss over great tragedies. (To the families of the children lost in last weeks school shooting, my prayers. Though they are but a small thing I hope that they bring you some comfort in this dreadful time.) Only then I realised that it is almost Christmas. (Why is it that family tragedies are always worse at this time of year?)
Where has this year gone? This time last year I was preparing to fly out to Oman in some unGodly hour of the morning the next day. It has not been helped by the ever increasingly interesting house move at the beginning of August. Nearly five months and we have only managed to do two rooms. Five months, two rooms and another six to go. This could take us years and I haven't been out on my bike since we moved. At this rate she's going to have rusted to a lump by the time I can get her back out from under tarp.
Yes my room is now pretty much done. I am going to have to wait until January for my new bed to arrive but I managed to take advantage of a special offer at Furniture Village so my double bed, Tempur mattress, Tempur pillow and desk chair all came to the normal price of just the mattress. I love it when I do that.
However because of the house renovating it does not really feel like Christmas. Normally we would put the decorations up on the first Sunday of Advent. This year we put them up today. Due to this none of us have really gotten into the groove of Christmas, which for us is a crying shame. Normally Advent and Christmas is such a special family time for us and the build up of Advent is what makes Christmas so special. Normally I baking the Christmas cake in mid-November to give it plenty of time to mature. This year I doubt whether I'm going to have to chance to make one at all.
All this self-pity routine has made me think though.
The families that can't stand the sight of each other but force a get together at this time of year because it's 'traditional'. Do they have any idea of what they are missing? And the greater part of me asks 'why do you dislike each other so much'? Have any of these nightmare families we hear about in the popular fiction tried have some family time regularly? And is a family meal invariably ends up in a fight, why not just have the afternoon together doing say a jigsaw? Or maybe a board game? (Not cards, there is nearly always a fight over whether or not the winner cheated.) I think the most important part of Christmas is TURN THE TV OFF! Even if you've just received your most favourite film in your stocking, the TV has to remain off. Actually talk to one another and more importantly listen to each other. If for no other reason leaving the TV on while you have guests is the height of bad manners and even if it is just family, if all you remember of Christmas Day is what you watched on the TV what makes it any different to any other day?
No comments:
Post a Comment