I so love Christmas - it's so peaceful for me! (Christmas in General)

Member Name: freud

Product:	Christmas in General
Date:	19/10/08 (177 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: a special time of year

Disadvantages: doesn't last long

I was born in 1952 & there was still some food & clothes rationing in post-war Britain. Relatively speaking unemployment wasn't high but most people were still fairly careful about how they spent their money after so many years of having to 'make do'.

I was born in November & I've always been a winter person - I love it when the clocks change & we get the long evenings & I love winter food & winter woollies etc.
But the best part for me is Christmas!

I've always loved Christmas - it's great to have the family sitting around pulling crackers, reading out silly jokes & basically just 'chilling' while the lights on the tree twinkle away - peace!

When I was young we had a real fire, which was the centre of our Christmas room, then there was the big real tree with hundreds of decorations and all the candles & the Christmas cards carefully pinned on ribbons down the walls...... lovely!

Looking back, my Mum must have worked her socks off getting the house ready in time - she was a grammar school teacher who worked the same terms that myself ,my brothers & sister did, yet everything seemed to be done with little stress.

We had a Christmas stocking with the famous tangerine , nuts, a small selection box plus a few little inexpensive items and we were always thrilled to bits.

We also had 1 'main' present - again not too expensive but carefully chosen & can honestly say I was never disappointed.

I continue the tradition of having our home looking Christmassy - once the house is done I can sit back & enjoy the seasonal period.

We have huge tree but it's artificial - cost loads but it's fantastic & should last another few years.
The decorations have been collected for the past 21 years( since my first daughter was born) & we have added to them little by little so they all have a 'history'.

I make a few fresh holly & candle decorations, hang the advent calendars & the wreath, use Yankee christmas candles & then the house feels & looks seasonal.

Our decoartions go up early as my daughter's birthday is 10th Dec so it's been a family tradition.

BUT - I do admit I'm a very lucky person as this is not a stressful time for me at all.

We don't have a large extended family so Christmas Day is enjoyed with my hubby (his ONLY day off in a year) & my 2 daughters. We usually stay in our nightwear until we can be bothered to get dressed, we eat Christmas dinner in the afternoon & just generally open presents & watch TV & relax the whole time.

Lucky or what?

I rely on home delivery (usually Iceland) for much of my food during the Christmas period but like to choose my own fruit & vegetables & make my own stuffing.

I start cooking for the freezer mid November so I don't have much to prepare & my cake is home-made by a friend - I do little jobs for her all year & my reward is a beautiful iced c/cake.

Presents?
My hubby is the main breadwinner so he likes to give us cash - don't know this year - maybe pence instead of pounds..??!!

I like to try & shop for the family all year round & everything is wrapped in beautiful giftwrap & ribbons which I've bought half-price in top stores in January - at least they look lovely!

I shop around for little things which are good quality but may be on offer - these I put away until it's time to wrap them in December so I've usually forgotten what I've accumulated so it's a surprise for me too!

I like to put a lot of thought into gifts I buy & I'm not mean, just never have any money!

I 'top up' with a special gift under the tree - my daughters love to shop so vouchers are the best thing to give them now as they can buy twice or three times as much stuff in the sales & they'll get exactly what they want...

The spirit of Christmas isn't lost though - I like to listen to carols when I'm pottering about in the house, our nativity set is in pride of place & although we don't go to church I give as much as I can afford to my favourite charity.

Other than that, I sit back in our peaceful Christmassy house & truly count my blessings.

Summary: a really special time for me & my family