One morning a couple of weeks ago I awoke with a start. Somewhere in my sleeping subconscious I'd realised that Christmas was just around the corner and I was not prepared. As I slowly slipped into consciousness and lay there listening to my home waking for the day I realised I only had one day to get prepared before Christmas. One day without children in tow, one day to shop for five children and that was the very next day.
The very next day at 10.30 in the morning with children tucked away at their schools I parked my car and paid the machine for 3 hours parking. I headed towards the shopping centre and shopped. No break for a leisurely lunch or a rest with a coffee. I whizzed around the department stores, toy shops and speciality outlets flashing my credit card left right and centre.Loaded up with bags I struggled around the shops making a trip back to the car to unload. Names were getting marked off my mental list. By 1.30 I was back at the car putting into the boot the last of the gifts for my family. My three hour whirlwind shopping spree over.
That night I lay in my bad thinking about my day. I felt no real happiness other than I'd achieved a lot for my day. No joy at the thought of all the gifts my family would receive. My Christmas spirit was stuck in neutral.
The following weekend we went to the local Christmas pantomime. A group of local actors on stage with a simple aim of entertaining people and putting a smile on their faces. My Bless-ed Harmony laughed louder than anyone. Everyone in the crowd booed, hissed, laughed, and cheered. My cheeks ached as I left the hall. My heart felt light and happy. My Christmas spirit had moved up a gear.
I remained in this gear into the week but was soon bogged down with life and work. Running around for the end of school and getting things organised with the business. Finally school broke up and one of our busiest weekends for work came to an end. It was time for Christmas tree shopping and this year we were buying local.
Bless-ed Frank and I stood in a paddock with the kids looking up at large tall trees while the owner of the trees asked which branch would we like. Frank and I slid sly looks at each other while we both held back laughter. Usually we go to a tree farm where we are given a saw and we all ran around yelling this one, no this one while we picked a tree. Here we had a man with chainsaw ready to chop the top of a tree off. We both knew we could've done this at our home for free!
With the branch in trailer the kids and I hopped in the car while Frank went inside the office to pay. The kids erupted in laughter. We could've done that at home they shrieked. We shrieked and laughed even louder when Frank got into the car and said exactly the same thing. The laughter rocked the car all the way home.
An afternoon a couple of days later with the Christmas branch decorate strapped to the flue of the fire place as it 12 feet tall, I sat wrapping all the presents while Frank entertained the kids. As I wrapped I thought about my shopping spree, the running around, the perceived stress of the Yuling. I then thought of the laughter and happiness of the activities that had made me smile and really put me in the Christmas spirit.
It was nothing to do with presents or giving or receiving. It was all to do with love. Enjoying being together and enjoying each others joy. Being present with the people you love.
So my Christmas wish this year was for everyone to feel love and for the love to follow them into the New Year.
Because love is all you need.
Happy Loving New Year to you,
Cathryn
