26th November 2024, Edging Towards Christmas

Christmas seems to be everywhere you look.  The shops are full of it!  It can't be avoided and so I've decided to embrace it, in my own way.  It's worth remembering that Pagans apparently took evergreen branches into their homes at Yuletide and  a Yule Log was burnt in the hearth as a ritual to celebrate the rebirth of the sun.  

I've visited two Christmas Markets, one at Hestercombe and one at Cardiff with friends and had a great time.  At Cardiff It rained!  So much!  The stalls were few, the funfair empty although beautifully lit, the Ink Rink and food square deserted.  Reading the news the following day, its a surprise we made it home on the same day.  My lovely comfy boots leaked and I had buy new socks.  Storm Bert, (I still dont understand why storms are being named!) left a trail of destruction with excessive rainfall and strong winds. 

At Hestercombe, the previous week, the sun had shone although it was cold.  I didn't buy very much at either.  I'm trying to downsize and thin out.  As a family we have a price limit on gifts, and many of the beautiful handcrafted items were over that limit.  There were some amazing gift ideas though and you have to bare in mind the time and care that has been taken to make each one.  Both days were great, chatting with friends, lovely venues, our tickets for Hestercombe included access to the gardens.   I had a Christmas Bap with turkey and stuffing for lunch.  I am pleased that I went.

Many stall holders at Hestercombe were giving away tasters including alcohol.  I guess it loosens people's taste buds and purses, they seemed to be busy around their stalls.  I felt slightly left out because I don't drink alcohol or eat sugary treats.  I did say I'd do things my way 😉. 

We've also been to the theatre, That'll Be The Day Christmas Show. It was a bit too early if I'm honest.  Christmas hits throughout the years, beginning in the 1960s.  We didn't know all of them and by the end of the evening I'd had enough merriment.   Plus songs like War Is Over and Little Drummer Boys, even the David Bowie and Bing Crosby version, just make me cry.  It's important to remember that no matter how lovely our Christmas is, others won't be so lucky.

This weekend has been one of the wettest on record, it's a record that keeps being broken.  Lives have been turned upside down.  Over 250 flood warnings have been issued and people's homes have been destroyed.  The news continues to be upsetting and we all need some glad tidings to keep ourselves afloat.  No wonder so many are putting their Christmas decorations up earlier each year.

My mindfulness moments seem insignificant some days, but if you look hard enough you can find them.   Thankfully we managed to plant our stretch of new hedging before the winter weather arrived.  Autumn leaves are mostly on the ground,  apart from our beautiful Acer.  That's clinging on and that's what we have to do.  Nature can put our lives into perspective.  We still wake up every day,  the sunshine follows the storm, and today I saw 3 blackbirds in the garden (and a Heron but we won't go into that).

So enjoy Christmas if you can.  Help others, even in a small way.  We'll be donating to Unicef rather than buying postage stamps.  Take unused toys and winter clothes to charity shops, give something to a food bank, most stores make this easy.  Do what you can.  Just don't make it all about yourself.   

For thousands of years we've celebrated the solstice, the lengthening of days and the return of the sun.   It's just that we begin our celebrations a bit earlier than our ancestors. 

❤️