It's beginning to look a lot like...

It's the first of December. It is now permitted in our house to sing Christmas songs, pull out some decorations, watch festive films and all the rest. The tree won't go up for a week or so at least, but that's more to do with being disorganised than anything else. The debate about whether or not it's too early to celebrate is over! And we can now get fully into the festive spirit (and spirits teehee!)

I love Christmas. I love the sounds, the smells, the lights and just the fact that everyone's cheery and excited. I love seeing the kids get hyped up, I love watching their nativity play, sending them off to the panto with their school, taking them to visit Santa... I just love it!

I've been feeling a little down recently, just a few too many stressful things landing at once. But last night I sat up until midnight waiting to put on Christmas songs. Within seconds I was grinning from ear to ear! Then this morning the boys opened their advent calendars to get their chocolates, but we also read the instructions on their prayerful advent calendar, then also the kindness advent calendar. I popped on my Christmas jumper and we set off to school. Walking through the town centre, the boys noticed something rather odd: everywhere we looked were woolly hats, scarves, blankets and decorations, on bollards, hanging from railings, wrapped around lampposts and in a multitude of colours. It was wonderful watching them chase around finding more. Then I saw on Facebook that it was part of a campaign to help the homeless and needy. 

It struck me that not everyone is as excited about Christmas as my boys and me. I know that, of course, but it really hit me. This campaign is aimed at helping the homeless and impoverished in our society. I was also talking this morning about a friend who spent most of this year living in a refuge and who won't see her children on Christmas Day. While my Mum was watching daytime television, Good Morning Britain's 1 Million Minutes campaign was discussed. That campaign aims to get people pledging to spend time with the elderly and it's a reference to the one million old people who never see anyone in person over the course of a week. I'm thankful that my Grampa is still only minutes away from us and that we've always had a good relationship. Although he drives me crazy, I love him dearly and I happily spend time with him.

I don't expect anyone reading this to adopt an old aged pensioner for Christmas, or take in a homeless person, but in the spirit of my sons' Kindness Advent Calendar, I'll be redoubling my efforts to look out for my Grampa and my friend and make sure that they don't feel lonely this winter.

It's also a hard time of year for the recently bereaved and those still grieving. I've already ordered this year's wreaths to take up to the cemeteries on 24th December and we'll be sending prayers up to our loved ones in Heaven that night. I send my love and thoughts to anyone grieving this Christmas.

With that said, I'm looking forward to the next few weeks of activities. It really is the most wonderful time of the year. I've thoroughly enjoyed watching friends post photos of their "Elf on the Shelf" characters arriving last night and this morning - I admire everyone who goes to this effort every year and I love the ingenuity in some of the creations. I don't do EOTS for a variety of reasons, most of which can be summed up by saying that I'm too lazy. I'll spend tonight watching a Christmas movie with the boys and eating mince pies. That's more my parenting style. But I can't wait. It'll be cosy and cuddly and lovely. And isn't that what Christmas is about?

Enjoy!

FG x