Welcome to December on social media.
Seem like it’s not just the shops that have become overwhelming and exploded into a commercial Christmas. Oodles and oodles of Christmas-ness whichever way you look.
It’s easy to avoid the shops but it’s not so easy to avoid the ‘in your face’ness of social media.
If you let it then it can make you feel pretty inadequate. Activities being done every day, trips to see Santa, the serene illusion of family togetherness, decorating the tree, baking days, not an argument in sight. The magic of Christmas being thrown at you from all angles Smothering you in a guilt that you can’t keep up with. It’s so easy to make comparisons and feel like you’re not doing enough. It’s easy to get disheartened. Feeling like you’re treading water without even a festive wreath to hold you up.
But stop! You don’t have to feel like that. Stop and take stock. Raid the feeble amount of Christmas stock you’ve attempted to hide. Sit down and take real stock on what’s important.
You can do elf on the shelf if you fancy, but it most certainly doesn’t have to be every night or elaborate in any way. It doesn’t even have to be an elf. A random toy is good enough to install a belief that you’ve had a visit from a toy from Santa’s workshop. You don’t need to wrap the sofa up or magically have the elf change the bedding into festive attire whilst the kids sleep. Why put yourself through anything that you won’t enjoy maintaining? Do it if you want to but don’t ever do anything out of obligation. You don’t even have to visit Santa. You can write to him. I always did that as a child. ☺️
The joy that my kids get out of a bowl of walnuts and getting to grips with a nutcracker is one of their most favourite memories of Christmas.
The things I remember about Christmas are films, satsumas, colouring books, digging into a tin of shared sweets, making paper snowflakes, paper chains, chestnuts, peeling veg, staying in our PJs all day (that weren’t Christmas ones), stepping outside and looking into the skies for a glimpse of Santa. Just the pure excitement of opening up the most simplistic of advent calendars every day. Arguing over board games and TV, and my parents losing their shit during the day. 😂
And whilst I scroll through social media I try to remember that.
A Christmas tree can be dressed to the most exquisite of looks, but strip it down and just laden it with a string of lights and a bauble and it’s still a Christmas tree.
You can make Christmas as elaborate or sedate as you like. Have traditions, there are no rules. Doing it your way is the most perfect way. Don’t compare yourself. If you want to go balls out and put your tree up in November then do it. If you want to wait until Christmas Eve than that’s equally as exciting. Whatever your way, it’s good enough.👌
What we need to remember and focus on is that the true spirit of Christmas is not something you can buy. It’s not the lavish or magical activities. It’s a gift that can be given that is free in a million teeny ways without an expense. Your time is a gift.
Ultimately remember that Christmas is a few days. It’s not a month.
❤️
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