Tag: Christmas 2011

Tralalala, let’s be festive

I’m starting to intensely dislike this whole Festive Season thing.

Over the last few years I have come to the conclusion that people do terrible things to each other at this time of year. Couples break up, people commit suicide, we hurt each other in indescribable ways.

I remember when we were not able to have children that I told Etienne one Christmas that I don’t ever actually wanted children.  If he believed me for a second and didn’t see through my Christmas angst he would have left me on the spot.

In many ways the Christmas Season brings out the worst in people and I even feel it in myself.  My normal level of worry is multiplied for some reason, I cry at the drop of a hat and I’m snapping at Etienne and the kids (more than usual at least).  I caught myself saying some horrible things about someone yesterday, uncharitable thoughts that usually I would not think to verbalise.

I don’t know whether it is to do with reluctance to change that is inevitable as we move into a new year (this definitely applies to us!), extra financial pressure during this time or the thought of spending 24/7 with someone you successfully avoid during the year, or a culmination of all of the above, but I’m asking if we could stop.

And breathe.

Take a step back and breathe.  And think.  Is this worth getting upset about?  What are my kids going to remember about Christmas this year?

Let’s be kind to one another.

Let’s endure the things that normally irritate and just suck it up.

Let’s put all our emotional shit on the shelf until next year.

Let’s think about our children first and ignore the trolls that lurk in shopping malls and in our families.

Let’s be bloody festive people.

That’s an order.

My homemade Vanilla Essence

 

Found this in our bed this morning when I came out of the bathroom.

Project Christmas, Day 1

This year we are going all out for Christmas.

We are going to embrace all the Boney M, all the Christmas carols.

We are going to Noddy’s Christmas Party, like we did last year. (and hopefully will for a few years to come)

We are making it a true family affair.

We are going to try and avoid most of the Christmas Consumerist crap trappings and make as many of our gifts as possible.  Lighter on the pocket and good for the soul.

The first project was the Advent Calendars for the kids.  My idea was to put each day’s little sweetie in a packet on the Christmas tree and when the kids remove their packet they replace it with a Christmas decoration.

The kids stuck their own numbers on little white bags I found in a cupboard and we used clothing pins and some ribbon to attach the bags to the tree.  It’s not Martha Stewart, but the total effect looks cool.  And the kids loved it this morning.

It was hard to get the whole tree in, but this was the effect.

Daniel and Isabel putting their first decorations on the tree:

 

 

The Christmas post

I am all psyched for Christmas this year.  Just wait before you fall off your chair laughing and speed-dialling the madhouse and think about why I say so for a minute:

I mentioned in my last blog post that my friend Sally believes in making, up cycling and re-cycling gifts.  She also believes in re-gifting.  Which I think is a cool idea, but only under certain circumstances (as she does, so don’t think she re-gifted something when she gives you a gift, ok?).

So, I have decided that for Christmas this year I will not be buying anyone an outright
gift except for our kids.  And even then I’m going to err on the side of caution.

Seeing as how I cannot paint or draw or knit or sew, I see many nights of crocheting in
the next few months, but I have the interwebs and Pinterest and Martha Stewart and I’m not afraid to use it.  I also vaguely recall how to make paper and still have the kit, so fun times ahead..

It reminds me of the first Christmas after Etienne and I got married.  We managed to get engaged, buy a house and get married in 2000 so we had ZERO money to buy gifts come Christmas.  So we made candleholders in various shapes and sizes from sand, glue and wax and some other random stuff I can’t even remember.  But I do remember having a fantastic time doing it and now the kids are a little bigger they can also help.

Have you thought about Christmas yet?  Ok, you can stop laughing now.

Ps: I asked my 80 year old Father-in-Law yesterday what I could crochet him for Christmas and he said a willy-warmer.  True story.