Christmas caught me crying… Click and listen along while reading.
May you have a beautiful, peaceful and joyous Christmas with those you love or in the memories of loved ones. Cherish this time of celebration, tradition, memories and giving. The greatest gift you can give anyone is yourself, your time, your ear, your love, forgiveness and being there.
I hope this little Christmas blog finds you all coping well ( as well as anybody can in this unprecedented time in our living memories). I’ve chosen Jamie Callum’s beautiful tune to open my blog, not to sadden anyone but to reflect my reality. As with all of my ‘Blogs’ you will find hyperlinks to other content. These are safe and can be clicked with confidence. (Underlined words are Hyperlinks)
It’s a truly beautiful, magical, and colourful time of year. Mesmerising for the little ones. But, Boy Oh Boy, it can be such a tough time for many people. It is so good to celebrate, to treat yourself to something special, to say ‘I’ve survived another year’, to pat yourself on the back, but the celebration of Christmas is such a juggernaut these days. Sensory overload, visual , audio, smell. An emotional rollercoaster of expectations, joy, conflict, stress, loneliness and even grief for some this year. If you are on the magical spectrum, have an absolute blast and fill up on the magic to your heart’s content. If, however Christmas is tough sometimes, get out your favourite read and fill your head, heart and soul with the wisdoms on a page. And if you need to have a good cry, then off you go. Be they tears of joy, longing, grief or sadness they will do you the world of good, that I promise you. Sure, I cry all the time.
Capture the Magic
When we’re young, Christmas is all about traditions, such as writing letters to Santa Claus, baking Christmas treats and making decorations for the tree. However, as we get older, and perhaps spend Christmas away from our families, traditions can start to fade. To recapture the magic of Christmas, try to hold on to some of the childhood traditions you used to love.
1. Do something traditional Try writing a letter to Santa, (you can always post to findmywhy@gmail.com and Santa WILL reply, I promise), recreate you favourite Christmas starter (Prawn Cocktail) or dessert (Sherry trifle). Make a Christmas Wreath out of stuff in the garden, Although you may feel too old for these rituals now, by reliving your childhood traditions the Christmas magic will soon come flooding back. (Roast potatoes, yum)
2. Do something Selfless (be kind, giving and if you can give of your time and listen, to who needs an ear)
3. Be Frivolous (Get that Christmas jumper you would NEVER be seen dead in)
4. Immerse Yourself In The Magic (Christmas Market, Panto, Walk in a Christmas Wonderland, Wollongong, Mid-Summer, 19th. December 2021, Rory and friends at Christmas lights)
5. Do Something Different ( Go to a Choral Service, visit a crib and whisper a prayer, eat Fried Chicken instead of Turkey, the Japanese do )
Christmas Reading List
- Who Moved my Cheese
- The Four Agreements
- Every time I find the meaning of Life, They Change IT
I’ll let you do your own research but Who Moved my Cheese and The Four Agreements are constant re-reads for me to guide me through change and ground my life. And #3, “Every time I find the meaning of Life, They Change IT”, is a warm, winsome book of eclectic musings.
And welcome to your first Christmas.
Welcome to your very first Christmas. Seven weeks ago I finally bit the bullet and got the right hand knee replaced after many moons of anti-inflammatories, paracetamol, deep heat rubs and tiger balm to soothe the joint that had served me so well. I listened to the advice of many to get it done as early as possible while relatively fit and mobile. Best decision I have made. Although it will take at lease six months to fully recover if you stick to the Physio regime. Here’s a summary of the last few weeks.
And Finally, Happy Christmas
And it’s No, Nay, Never
Some Happy Thoughts for Christmas
And Smiles for a New Year
Methinks…. it is really time to get my rear in gear
Viruses aside and tucked safely away
Here’s praying for a, much brighter day
Where visits, kisses and hugs galore
Filling our minds with worry
No, nay never, No more
By tradition I nearly always publish my Christmas blog on the Winter Solstice in Ireland. This year the Winter Solstice 2021 in Northern Hemisphere will be at 15:58 on Tuesday, 21 December. All times are in Ireland Time. The Winter Solstice
Have a wonder about the blog if you find time. Leave a comment if you like but most of all relax, rest and regenerate this Christmas.
findmywhy 