I’ve been a bit quieter than normal around here. Nothing dramatic, just too many events and emotions getting in the way.
The weeks before Christmas are not my favourite. A show-reel of ‘the perfect Christmas’ plays on a loop in my head, with an accompanying voice-over insisting that this is the way it should be, and it is entirely up to me to make it so for my family, with goodness knows what consequences if I fail.
Completely daft, I know that – but I have to keep reminding myself, and I’m not always successful.
So forgive me if I’m even quieter for a while.
There are a couple of bloggers who I follow, who are living through the really difficult time of bereavement at the moment and to them I apologise for not leaving a comment with you, but send you my heartfelt thoughts and very best wishes.
-)O(-
Mostly Motley 
Anny, there is no such thing as a blueprint for the perfect Christmas, or if there is, no-one has ever shown it to me. I think families create their own Christmas traditions and I’m sure your family is no exception. Try not to worry, but rather to enjoy the preparations, even if some of them are a bit last-minute (the story of my life when our two were at home!)
I’ve been wondering why I get so uptight, and I think it might be because I enjoyed my own childhood Christmas’s so much and both want to recreate that for my girls and also for myself. But you’re right and I will try to find the enjoyment in the preparations.
Hope you have a perfectly imperfect Christmas 😉 I agree that its hard not to try to live up to some picturesque and idealized standard.
Time to embrace the imperfect Christmas – I like that.
Youv’e been watching too many of those M&S adverts! Just enjoy the season and keep it simple so you don’t feel under any pressure. The ads and mags just like to promote something that isn’t real.
Oh yes those adverts – I’m keeping a special circle in purgatory for the ad men!
No matter what I say you will still have your worries….until you get old and then you think what the heck…..but that is one totally beautiful window…so you have one happy blogger 🙂
Oh yes, and it’s a window from the church at Claines – near Worcester.
I’m probably conflating my expectations with those of the girls – I know it’s stupid. I’m going to spend the whole day muttering ‘what the heck’ to myself and see how I get on 🙂
It works for me, but then I’m old 🙂 You are right…..we all want a wonderfully happy christmas, mine is hand made gifts, snow, log fires, carols, going to midnight service, mince pies and most of all my youngest grandson, who is 3.5, his face, because this year he will understand. Sometimes it happens, but it all depends on the snow 🙂 Oh by the way you do have to believe in Father Christmas….I do 🙂
It’s not an easy time of year, and the expectations we impose on ourselves are often rather daunting.
I get round it by working at the stables – the morning mucking out, then a huge Christmas lunch and back to the stables for the afternoon. This allows the usual staff to have a day at home, and lets me feel justified in eating a great deal, and then retiring to bed early! Rather an unusual solution I know!
It is self-imposed I’m sure you’re right. I had lovely childhood Christmases and somehow feel the need to recreate them for my girls, but I suppose really I’m trying to recreate them for myself, hence the problem. Time to try and move on I think.
Perfection I think only exists in those glossy magazines – go with the flow and I am quite sure it will be lovely
Best wishes
Jenny
Yes, you’re right, definitely better when I go with it, rather than try to control it. Merry Christmas.
Christmas should be exactly what feels right for you and yours … here that involves less and less of what others seem to expect … it works for me.
The girls are in a transition stage, not really children any more, but still wanting the magic – I suppose I’m learning as I go along. I just find that creating magic is a tall order these days.