I adore the magic of Christmas. The twinkling lights, the scent of pine needles and mulled wine. The opportunity to embrace all that I’m grateful for. Let me shine a light on some of the things that bring this wonderful season to life.
I love the idea of snow. To wrap up in thermal socks, gloves and a woollen scarf. Then head out with my children for a snow fight or to build a snowman. IF it snows, it rarely settles in my coastal town due to the salty air. Plus the reality is very different from the rosy nostalgia of my childhood. The wind bites my cheeks and my toes turn painfully cold. With soggy mittens I head back indoors, proving that my first favourite tradition is and always will be my home.
My second favourite tradition is family and friends. This year’s a stepping stone into a new era. It’s the twentieth Christmas without my mum. Since she passed away I’ve tried to provide an inviting, homely Christmas for my brother and sister. Along with the addition of my husband, two children and a lazy beagle. Recently I’ve severed relations with my toxic father, though he’s never had a roll in my festive cellebrations, the choice still lay heavy on my heart. Until I realised that I have always been the support system in my family. Nothing has changed. Except for the growth of self-respect and a new found empowerment that I had not expected to feel. I’m grateful for my family, the ones who love and respect each other. Whether blood related or not, they are the ones I bind my faith, and love in.
Finally my Christmas tree decorations. Not the process of dressing the bloody thing. That is a stressful event, fraught with nit picking and despair – that’s me – my kids insist on dressing the tree. Which is fine, I just rearrange the babbles when no one’s watching. My favourite tradition is the decorations themselves. It started after the birth of my daughter; I purchased a white rocking horse with babies first Christmas written across the flank. The collection has grown to include a Disney Stich wearing a Santa suit, a second rocking horse after the birth of my son, inherited glass Christmas trees from my nan, a selection of stars, reindeer and candy canes chosen by my children as they grew. I admit that I hide the garish green and red star at the back of the tree. Yet each one has a happy family memory, proving that negative family patterns can be changed. My safe, healthy family is proof of a better life.
I wish you all a very merry Christmas, full of magical memories, filled with laughter and love. Thanks for reading and don’t forget to share your favourite traditions with me.
Lovely traditions! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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Merry Christmas Andrew
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Thank you!
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Thank you for sharing your traditions with everyone. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas, and a happy new year.
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Thank you, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas too.
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Lovely post, Lorraine. It brings out all the joyful things about Christmas, though I agree with you about being out in the snow. It’s many years since I played snowballs with our six children and nowadays, the cold gets to me, too. We get little snow here in Nottinghamshire either, but possibly more than you get on the coast. We’ve had one little flurry this year, but it didn’t ‘stick’. As for decorating the tree – I never do ours. That task usually falls to any willing volunteer. Failing that, my husband gets the job. Naturally, I’m always too busy in the kitchen to give assistance. 🙂 Thank you for sharing your happy thoughts and memories. Your little tree decorations sound charming.
Merry Christmas to you all. 😀
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Merry Christmas Millie
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What a lovely post 🙂 I loooove Christmas! 🙂 To read about my Polish Christmas and experience with Brazilian and English ones too please have a look at my recent blog post if you have a moment: https://mindset4progress.wordpress.com/2017/12/22/christmas-in-europe-and-at-the-end-of-the-world/ 🙂
Aggie
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Thank you Aggie.
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It’s supposed to be -2F/-19C on Christmas Day by me. I am not much of a fan of cold.
But I do love Christmas. As a kid, it was one of the few times things actually seemed warm and festive. Now, I love seeing it through my kids’ eyes. Well, mostly. They are getting more than a little squirrely as they wait for Santa to come.
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Loved this! So magical and definitely filled with Christmas Cheer! I also love your pictures! So pretty! 💗
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Thank you, hope you have a merry Christmas.
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that was awesome,i really liked your way!
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Thank you 😊
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This is so sweet, thank you for sharing! Our family tradition is a breakfast casserole on Christmas morning. It’s my wife’s family recipe, and it’s delicious!
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Oh wow, a casserole. That sounds amazing.
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The tradition came from her family, and we carried it onwards with our kids. Plus, it tastes delicious!
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