It's Christmas...

We have reached that joyous time of year again… Christmas.

 …My only concession to very early Christmas preparation is the making of the Christmas cake and mincemeat which I usually do in October

….I start preparations in earnest once December has arrived, first with sorting out and writing Christmas cards, and then making my gift list, which more often than not gets revised a few times before the actual purchases begin…I never leave it until Christmas eve to shop for presents, I like mine all to be wrapped before then, so that I can spend the last few days prior to Christmas day concentrating on what food to get in for over the festive period.

I love to see all the shops and department stores come alive with Christmas decorations while carols play quietly in the background, and the excited chatter of the children with their eyes round in wonderment takes me back to when my own children were young enough to believe in all the magic that Christmas brings

 ….Although my children had all the commercial trappings that go with Christmas, first and foremost they were taught the true meaning of Christmas.

Sadly I  think some of the young children today  can’t see any connection between the birth of Jesus and Christmas – they have been born into a world which is  so materialistic. To them, Christmas is all about how full their stocking will be when they open their eyes on Christmas morning.….This week I was having a  conversation with a lovely young boy about seven years of age. His excitement was  infectious, but it saddened me that the main thing he talked about was hoping that *Santa* would get his letter and be able to bring him all the presents he’d written and asked for… As we parted company I couldn’t help wondering if this little boy’s parents will be taking him to a carol or Christingle service this Christmas…

 I have researched many families from the 18^th and 19^th centuries – a few were wealthy enough to over indulge in all the festive trappings at Christmas, but the majority were those who found Christmas day just another day to have to survive through… Times were extremely harsh for the ordinary working people two hundred years ago, children were very lucky if their parents could give them an apple or an orange as a Christmas treat.

 If I had a magic wand I’d have all families reunited for Christmas – it’s a time for love, forgiveness and above all hope – hope that our future will be happy, healthy and peaceful….