Christmas - a festival I have come to dread over the years , the stress associated with two days holiday has proved far too much for me. Everyone is expected to be jolly but for me, it is just another couple of days just cooped up in the house with crap tv. The build up trying to buy presents for people who have far more money than me and just buy what they want, when they want and children with high expectations as they compare their lot with their friends. They seem to have uber rich friends whose parents spend £100's of pounds on them or are they just plain daft over compensating for the lack interaction with them for the remaining 364 days of the year ? Anyway, enough of my grumpiness.
For me Christmas was always a happy time, I love the sparkling lights and the smell of real Christmas trees, logs burning on the fire and toasting chestnuts or crumpets at the fireside while watching Morecombe and Wise Christmas Specials or black and white classic films. This year though I think I will make a special effort. My sister decks her house beautifully , going overboard with greenery, lights and candles. I asked her why she does it all as it takes ages to prepare. Her reply was that she does it for herself, not for her children or anyone else, just for her. She too likes to slip into a world where commercialisation doesn't exist and it makes HER feel happy. Thus year I will follow her mantra and do the same for myself.
So today I am off the the small garden centre to buy myself a real Christmas tree and I will deck the halls with ivy and holly. I am sure my daughters will appreciate my efforts and hopefully will pass it on to their children too.
