What’s it all about Christmas? For me it has to be about keeping it simple. It’s easy to rush round thinking you’re missing out, forgetting stuff, should be doing something. You can over complicate it, stress where you don’t need to. My Dad always reminds me it is just one day, and those words always stick with me. Mr A doesn’t let Christmas bother him all December. Mr G is far too busy playing with his toys at the moment to conjure a list for Father Christmas.
Last month I was entertaining the idea of being really organised, I soon lost interest. I realise now, I am at my happiest when I think like a bloke about Christmas. Christmas all gets sorted in the end. I just look forward to eating something good and to me and Miss L kicking back with the boys.
I am learning to accept the magic happens best when you don’t force it. Christmas as a kid was always magical purely because being told Father Christmas would come blew our tiny minds. It wasn’t because of elaborate schemes, it involved some carrots, mince pies, and a small glass of brandy.
I’ve always believed that the point of a festival at this point in the year was as a ritual to get us through the Winter, or as my good friend K delicately puts it ‘someone invented Halloween, Bonfire Night and Christmas to stop us all topping ourselves when it gets dark and cold.’ So why add to the stress?
Relax and the magic will happen.
This is my entry for the #O2GuruMagicofXmas Linky, sponsored by O2 GuruTV – the home of tech help and inspiration. If I win I will go on a present buying spree on Christmas Eve, followed by ten pints in the pub and a curry with my mates. Only joking.
I love your ‘think like a bloke’ concept – the opposite to the frazzled mother striving for the perfect day. I have a seasonal rush of panic about Christmas, then after a few days of panicking realise just how pointless it is and start to relax into the spirit of it all. I remember that there’s no way it’s going to be ‘perfect’, like family life, it never is, but it’s always fun.
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Absolutely, it is so easy to fall into the trap of thinking it has to be perfect, like it is represented on cards, in the media and by other frazzled mums
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So true, yep blokes have it sorted and actually if we all thought like a bloke it would be a lot more enjoyable and far less stressful
Christmas eve shopping spree sounds great and the curry with mates though I bring the children too. I’d give the ten pints a miss though!!! x x x
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Yeah, me too, I can’t do that anymore, in fact I could never do it! xxx
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It’s an interesting concept which maybe we should all adopt. As I write this I can feel the palpitations rise again just thinking about the all the things that need to be done. Perhaps I’ll just go to the pub!
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Do it! x
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I love the reminder that “someone invented Halloween, Bonfire Night and Christmas to stop us all topping ourselves when it gets dark and cold.”
I feel uncomfortable about how commercial it has all got and how it should be more about quality time with the people you love. I wish my Christmas was about baking mince pies together and gathering holly and ivy for home-made decorations. But I always end up too busy to do those things, and spending money I can’t afford on gifts that nobody needs… Now I’m worried I sound like a Scrooge!
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Spot on, your words stuck with me, spent this weekend making decorations instead of buying them, it was lovely. Not Scrooge at all, research shows most people resent the debt Christmas gets them in and it really isn’t the point.
The Alexander Residence recently posted..Never get locked out again Yale Giveaway
I’m going to give it a go
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Yay do it!
The Alexander Residence recently posted..Never get locked out again Yale Giveaway
That’s a great approach, I should do that too.
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Let me know how it goes!
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You are such a wise woman even if one who thinks like a bloke. We too are going for the chilled approach this year and feeling so much better for cutting out unecessary stress.
Loved that last bit – made me giggle.
Commenting for me and for BritMums.
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