Thanks to our host Susanne for keeping us on track every Friday to find the good things in our week. You can find out more here.
Here are mine:
1) Almost Christmas ready. The presents are all bought and wrapped. The house looks Christmassy and I have a big shop being delivered tomorrow. I'm sure there will be something I've forgotten that will mean a trip to the shop but hopefully not for too many things!
2) Family time. My eldest son and his family arrived yesterday and they will be with us until next Friday. My other son and my daughter will be here with their families on Christmas Day, staying over until Boxing Day. It will probably be total chaos but also lovely to have all the grandchildren together.
These two do love a dinosaur or two....
3) Fun at the Food bank. Well not fun exactly but we had a good time packing Christmas hampers for our beneficiaries today. The amount of food that has been donated this month has been amazing. Everyone who is registered with the food bank will get a delivery of festive food that will hopefully make this holiday a little better for them. I'm thankful that we received the donations to be able to do this and for the wonderful team of volunteers who make it happen.
4) Not striving for perfection. Of course I would like Christmas to be perfect for our family and, in the past, that would have entailed making the Christmas pudding, cake, mince pies etc. Having the house spotless and everything running like clockwork. Now I hardly make anything myself and I'm definitely not stressing about the meal itself. It's essentially a roast dinner just scaled up for the extra numbers right? (But with lots of trimmings and Christmas crackers!) Sharing it with the family is the important thing.
5) Books. I have lots of them and access to many more via the library. When things get too hectic or difficult it's great to snuggle down and lose myself in a book. Especially with a nice cup of tea and, at this time of year, a mince pie or two.
Well that's me done.
Merry Christmas everyone! It's almost here.
Merry Christmas, Wendy!
ReplyDeleteIt is so tempting to want everything just perfect during the season, I know. But there's freedom in letting some things go too. It will be so nice to have your family with you for Christmas. That's the most important part. I love your description of Christmasy things - like Christmas pudding and crackers and Boxing Day. My late husband was English and so I'm very familiar with all that. Even though he and his family emigrated to the U.S. when he was 13, he still was very much English and had even retained his accent. Have a Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI love your faves this week. I agree--being with family is the main thing. Relax and enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased that the donations for the food boxes were so generous. Hopefully, that makes the families who receive the boxes have a Merry Christmas, too.
Have fun with all those grandchildren!
Merry Christmas!
How exciting to have all the family together on Christmas day! Distance prevents that for us. It's so nice to be able to let things go and enjoy a book and tea.
ReplyDeleteYour house will be full for Christmas ! That's nice ! I just read a Blog where the people have to celebrate Christmas 4 times, because there are patchwork families and the others have to go one year to the boys parents and the other year to the girl's parents. I don't have this problem, I will celebrate with Rosie and my companions, those who stay here over Christmas. A lot are going to their children, it's easy in Belgium because it's such a small country !
ReplyDeleteI wish you and family a merry Christmas and a happy and healthy new Year !!
Oh how absolutely wonderful to have your whole family together for Christmas! What happy memories you will make. It's not about the perfection. No one will remember if the food was just perfect. They will remember the time everyone was together!
ReplyDeleteWendy, I wish you and your dear family a beautiful and blessed Christmas!! It sounds like you are ready and I agree that perfection can go out the window. It's family around you that counts the most (and friends who are like family!). Sending love and wishes for a blessed new year!!
ReplyDeleteSounds a similar situation to myself but not quite as many. The sleeping arrangements are a bit crowded but nobody cares, well I don't think kso anyway. Merry Christmas Wendy
ReplyDeleteI love this post! You certainly have the right idea - no family and no Christmas no matter how well planned and executed is ever perfect, so we do the best we can and call it good. So glad you will have a full house for Christmas. Have a wonderful holiday and make many good memories! See you again soon. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteWe have simplified a lot of Christmas as well. So much better than being stretched and rushed and pressured. I'm so glad you could be with family. That's so wonderful about the food bank.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog
ReplyDeletePlease read my post
ReplyDeleteThe perfection we put upon ourselves at this time of year is so stressful. I have had to let go of a lot of that the last couple of years and it was still a wonderful celebration. The kids with their dinosaurs are so cute! I am so thankful for books and the easy access to them that we have.
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