Of Christmas
I am so glad it is December.I have always loved the Christmas season. The weather is improved (generally speaking as this is Auckland after all) and I am a huge fan of tinsel and baubles and trees. I love the Malls filled with decorations and music and package wrapping services. I’m not such a fan of the hordes of angry and stressed people seemingly missing the point and sentiment of Christmas though.Of Christmas’ past:I have strong memories of family Christmas gatherings and traditions from my childhood in Palmerston North. We were a fairly normal family, with not a lot of money. Gifts were usually practical, never frivolous. I remember my mother asking for, and me giving, a cheese grater. And it was not an awesome cheese grater. This I now know. I remember buying my grandmother Jubes. And a hanky. Every year. I remember the plastic narrow Santa stockings we had (actually there is a little resentment with that memory as my friends had pillowcases. Pillowcases. That’s a lot of stocking filling.). I remember the Christmas tree with cheap decorations and homemade decorations. I remember singing carols by Christmas-tree lights with the family.I also remember going to church on Christmas morning, not having opened any presents. Of course, the pastor would get all us kids up the front and ask us what we got. “Nothing” was our usual response. OK - so i have a few residual childhood issues.Christmas Day involved eating. sleeping. and was fantastic.Now years on, I realise that I hadn’t been able to create any traditions for me or my kids. My parents and my then in-laws maintained their traditions of having (demanding) their kids (us) around them, and didn’t actually allow us to establish our own. And now, with life-changes in place, it’s all a bit unsettled and in the air.This year I am determined to give my kids a fun-filled and magical Christmas. I want them to enjoy it and to be able to look forward to future Christmas Days without being bundled into cars and driven all over town on a hot day acceding to the demands of the extended family. I also intend to have a Christmas Day that I personally enjoy. I certainly don’t want to be at Denny’s on Christmas Night with all the other separated Dad’s who missing their kids and moaning about their ex’s. Thankfully I have alternate options in place!To this end, I’ve decorated, lit, bought, and wrapped. I’ll be cooking, baking and drinking. Background music will be provided by Steve Lukather (his Santamental album - buy it, you won’t be disappointed!). I will spend more time in Malls, smiling and soaking up the atmosphere.To all of you I wish the very best for your Christmas. I hope for good things for you all and the ability to breathe and enjoy and love and relax.Simon.