Christmas Eve!
Ladles and jelly spoons, today is Christmas Eve. The older I get, the less I care for Christmas - in my mind it has no religious affiliation and no longer carries much more meaning than any other family get together - but, I have always had a thing for Christmas Eve. There's something about it...There's a magic about it that never really went away. Plenty of people grow out of this sort of stuff, and for the most part I have too (despite my trying to hang onto my childhood), but each year we hang out for dinner at my dad's (or wherever) and we get to talking about Christmas memories and other such things and, sure enough, all that shimmer and magic comes back and I find myself staying up through the night to await the sound of reindeers' hooves on the roof.
Then, of course, I get myself together and go to sleep.
So, tonight we're going - as I mentioned - to my dad's for dinner. It's not a specifically Christmassy event because it all started when we were kids at my grandmother's house...She was (and is) a Jehovah's Witness and so didn't celebrate Christmas, but it was important to my grandfather to have everyone all together. Now dinner is being held at my dad's because my grandmother is no longer in the best of health or capable of dealing with all the cooking and preparation, which is unfortunate because it's not the same anymore. Even so, we're all still getting together and it's still fun in its way. Besides, my dad has a spa now, lol, and that'll be kind of cool too.
Christmas Day will be spent with my mum's family (we alternate from year to year). We'll be at my aunts' house with various family members for a big lunch and present giving. And receiving.
Boxing Day is a little sketchy thus far, but if we go according to tradition, then we'll be back at dad's for more lunch and gift exchanging. Perhaps you can see why these three or so days are known as the "three days of presents and ham" in our family - all we do is swap gifts and eat (mostly ham, lol).
So, indeedy. I'm a little bummed, as usual, that Christmas no longer has any kind of real importance in my family - and in many other families - and the focus has really been set on abundance; too much food, too many things. There's not any religious connection to it in my family, which suits me well because I don't consider myself to be a Christian, but the downside of not having that wider view about Christmas (and indeed other holidays) is that we have a tendency to shut out other people and maintain the focus on ourselves and our stuff. I wish more people, and myself too, I'm as guilty as anyone else, could recognise how lucky we really are, and how blessed. We're surrounded by family and friends, rarely needing or wanting for anything, full to the gills with food and drink, and there are people out there who have nothing. Not a thing. Zilch. And often we try to ignore or push away the thoughts of people who have found themselves in that situation because its easier or makes us more comfortable, but that's not fair...I think we all need to learn to take nothing for granted - tell your family that you love them, be truly grateful for your food and gifts and recognise where they come from. Keep your eye on the bigger picture, yes?
This entry's getting a little more lengthy than I had envisioned, lol, so I'm going to put the next bit under a cut for brevity. I mentioned in my last entry that I'm undertaking a project where between January 1st and March 1st, when I go back to uni, I will read a list of books that have been suggested to me by my family and friends. Now, the books that will be on the list are the books that you all have found the most influential or that have most shaped you. So, please, make some suggestions, because my list is still criminally short!! I want the titles of your most influential books. Not your favourites, but those that have most shaped who you are.
Forgiveness and Other Acts of Love by Stephanie Dowrick
Buddhism For Busy People by David Michie
Wetlands by Charlotte Roche - translated by Tim Mohr
Go Ask Alice by Anon
The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood
DSM
The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
The Prophet by Gibran
Then, of course, I get myself together and go to sleep.
So, tonight we're going - as I mentioned - to my dad's for dinner. It's not a specifically Christmassy event because it all started when we were kids at my grandmother's house...She was (and is) a Jehovah's Witness and so didn't celebrate Christmas, but it was important to my grandfather to have everyone all together. Now dinner is being held at my dad's because my grandmother is no longer in the best of health or capable of dealing with all the cooking and preparation, which is unfortunate because it's not the same anymore. Even so, we're all still getting together and it's still fun in its way. Besides, my dad has a spa now, lol, and that'll be kind of cool too.
Christmas Day will be spent with my mum's family (we alternate from year to year). We'll be at my aunts' house with various family members for a big lunch and present giving. And receiving.
Boxing Day is a little sketchy thus far, but if we go according to tradition, then we'll be back at dad's for more lunch and gift exchanging. Perhaps you can see why these three or so days are known as the "three days of presents and ham" in our family - all we do is swap gifts and eat (mostly ham, lol).
So, indeedy. I'm a little bummed, as usual, that Christmas no longer has any kind of real importance in my family - and in many other families - and the focus has really been set on abundance; too much food, too many things. There's not any religious connection to it in my family, which suits me well because I don't consider myself to be a Christian, but the downside of not having that wider view about Christmas (and indeed other holidays) is that we have a tendency to shut out other people and maintain the focus on ourselves and our stuff. I wish more people, and myself too, I'm as guilty as anyone else, could recognise how lucky we really are, and how blessed. We're surrounded by family and friends, rarely needing or wanting for anything, full to the gills with food and drink, and there are people out there who have nothing. Not a thing. Zilch. And often we try to ignore or push away the thoughts of people who have found themselves in that situation because its easier or makes us more comfortable, but that's not fair...I think we all need to learn to take nothing for granted - tell your family that you love them, be truly grateful for your food and gifts and recognise where they come from. Keep your eye on the bigger picture, yes?
This entry's getting a little more lengthy than I had envisioned, lol, so I'm going to put the next bit under a cut for brevity. I mentioned in my last entry that I'm undertaking a project where between January 1st and March 1st, when I go back to uni, I will read a list of books that have been suggested to me by my family and friends. Now, the books that will be on the list are the books that you all have found the most influential or that have most shaped you. So, please, make some suggestions, because my list is still criminally short!! I want the titles of your most influential books. Not your favourites, but those that have most shaped who you are.
Forgiveness and Other Acts of Love by Stephanie Dowrick
Buddhism For Busy People by David Michie
Wetlands by Charlotte Roche - translated by Tim Mohr
Go Ask Alice by Anon
The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood
DSM
The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
The Prophet by Gibran