This time of year, more than any other, makes me realise just how lucky I am.
I could focus on much loved family and friends who are no longer with us or one of a number of things that are on my mind right now but instead I’m choosing to think about the good things in my life because they massively outweigh the things that make me sad!
I have a lovely family with children who amaze me and make me proud every day, a good job which I am lucky enough to only work part time hours at, a lovely home near the sea and some fantastic friends – both on and offline. Lots of people don’t have that and Christmas isn’t as happy a time for them as it is for me.
I can’t change the world and wave a wand to make everyone happy but I can do the small things that I can do to help others at this time of year and I can make sure that I value what I’m lucky enough to have.
Find out where your local food bank is and when you’re doing your big Christmas shop, add a few extras and drop them in to help less fortunate families. I can’t imagine what it must be like at any time of the year to struggle to feed your children but it must feel even worse at Christmas. I bought this little lot for our food bank a little while ago and it came to £3.67 which is brilliant for what we got.
Family is what it’s all about to me at this time of year so I spend as much time as possible with my family. We do lots of fun things together and have lots of traditions that we do every year. Everything from looking for the best Christmas lights in the neighbourhood to crafting and from cooking to watching Christmas movies. I heard an advert on TV the other day that said that the best thing about Christmas are the people around your tree and not the presents under it and I couldn’t agree more.
Think of people near you who don’t have family around them and who might be feeling lonelier than usual at this time of year. Do you have a neighbour who’s alone and might appreciate a bit of company? I’m not saying invite them around for Christmas Dinner or anything (although that would be nice) but I do think a visit in the days before Christmas with some homemade biscuits would be a lovely idea. It’ll cost you nothing and could be priceless to them.
Make a blessings jar together – just get everyone to write down five things that they’re thankful for on pieces of paper that you can then fold up and pop in a jar. Just before Christmas lunch you can then give them a good mix and take it in turns picking one and reading it aloud. I’m pleased that when we did this last year, there were only one or two material things – ‘I’m glad for my furby’ and ‘I love Jaffa cakes’ were probably not the things I would have chosen myself but the rest were good and helped focus the kids on the good things in life.
Have some old fashioned family – the sort that doesn’t need batteries or a plug! Play board games together, tell stories, play charades, play twenty questions, have a game of cards…. My children are excellent company and enjoying them without electronics or the TV is one of the simplest pleasures in my life and it makes me happier than any presents under the tree possibly could.
Simplify things – are you buying extra presents for the sake of it or spending more on elaborate food than you really need? I bet there’s a good few things on your shopping list for the next week or so that you really don’t need! In years to come, I’m hope that the kids will remember the fun we had and not the number of courses we ate for dinner or the size of our turkey!
Don’t over-plan the festive period, it’s fine not to have a schedule of where you need to be at what time. If you’re anything like me, a schedule makes me clock watch which in turn will make me less lightly to have a good time as I’ll always have my eye on what we need to be doing next.
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Image credit: Shutterstock, GoneWithTheWind
Lovely post – and my boys are having quality board game time with their dad right now. We don't have turkey because we don't like it. That's really nice of you buying the food for the food bank, a really inspirational idea.
What a lovely post! It's very easy to get carried away at Christmas when really it's the simple things that are important. I love the quote about it being the people around the tree that are the most important, it's so true.
You are a very wise lady Cass… Such lovely ideas there! 🙂 Have a great Christmas! xx
Such a great post Cass. I love the idea of the blessings jar and it is true that we should stop and think of others if we can and spend quality time together
brilliant post! Off to share ….
I think I've finally struck a balance this Xmas that feels right for us, I planned early, bought early and have no last minute rushing around buying things out of panic and guilt that I'm not more organised xx
I completely agree with you. Family is the most important thing at Christmas. I don't need expensive presents, if I have some nice quality time with my loved ones x
Fab tips and ideas! x
Thanks for this lovely post. This Christmas will be my son's first, and although he's still too young to understand it, it has got me thinking about what I want our family Christmases to be like. I absolutely agree with keeping things simple, and remembering that it isn't about the presents.
His grandparents and aunty and uncle are coming over from abroad too, so I feel like we're getting off on the right foot: it's all about being together.
Once he's older I'd love to incorporate the idea of the blessings jar.
Very simple Christmas this year and I'm super happy with that. It's freeing up time for those things that are far more important than money can buy.
Love this post. My husband works from Boxing day until the end of 1/2 term 8-8 every day. That means I have the kids all half term. This year I’m also nearly due with baby 3 (13th Jan). Initially I was semi dreading the holidays but I have given myself a mental shake up the past couple of days. My boys are great and without them I would be alone or working in my old job, which I hated. So I intend to make their Christmas holidays as good as possible, even though we will be house bound a lot of the time.
Also I completely agree with the food thing. What do a 4 and nearly 2 year old want with a starter? One of our relatives has been kind enough to give us a hamper so we are eating the goodies out of that instead of buying a separate pudding as well. Have a lovely Christmas time x