I am unashamedly one of those people who is ridiculously excited about Christmas.  It’s been a while since I’ve posted – I’ve only gone and got myself a job! (phew) so I have been busy trying to learn everything under the sun so I can be useful ASAP!  But I’m back, ready for the approaching festive season.  And Christmas is approaching fast and furiously.  (I would happily decorate RIGHT NOW. I would. Genuinely.  In many ways it is a good job I am engaged to someone much more reasonable and sensible) 🙂

I am about to offer some advice.  And if it isn’t welcome, feel free to ignore it!  Skip to my next post (it’s going to be about homemade wreaths – you know that appeals!)

This is coming from someone who still manages to combine the overwhelmingly childlike joy and magic of Christmas with a share of real responsibility for other people’s enjoyment.  I know busy Mums (and Dads, and probably lots of other people too) who get a bit frazzled by Christmas – and I can see why.  I’m not a Mum yet, but I am also not just one of the ‘revellers’ – if you know what I mean.  There are always ‘workers’ and ‘revellers’.

Normally (in my family anyway), there is a red and sweaty Christmas Mum running around making sure everyone’s presents are bought, the house is decorated, enough food has been bought to cater for a million and one people and they’ve planned each meal and each family activity with military precision, from Christmas Eve right through to New Year’s.

For the last two years I have been the Frazzler (excuse the bacon-flavoured crisp metaphor), or at least co-Frazzler, as I’ve been in charge of the food on Christmas day.  I always buy the presents for my Dad to give to my Mum (everyone seems happy with this situation), as well as almost all of the presents from myself and my fiancé to give (to his family and friends too).  So I am no stranger to the various stresses of Christmas.

Kelly Colgan Azar – Winter Wren (http://www.flickr.com/photos/puttefin/)

For me, it is about trying to escape the commercial, and putting emphasis on nature.  I don’t know why – I’m sure this isn’t everyone’s approach – but for me, Christmas truly is tied-down to the frosty Winter season.  It seems silly, but I just don’t think I could appreciate a beachy Christmas in Australia, throwing shrimps on the barbie (apologies to all Australians, for whom this is a ridiculous cultural stereotype)!

My emphasis always falls on nature, and as regards to avoiding stresses, this helps.  I disappear outside as often as is possible.  I think there is a bit too much commercial stress on Christmas, which can get into your head if you let it.  I try to buy as few disposable, wasted goods at Christmas as possible, and keep your eyes on my blog if you want help on this front – from free wrapping paper to making your own Christmas decorations.  I love the aesthetic value of Christmas, and this doesn’t need to be compromised!  I just think it’s wasteful to buy reams of patterned paper which goes straight into a bin bag and driven to the tip.

As regards to real prep – my secret is genuinely seeing how much you can get done in advance.  But more about that later.  Look at this gorgeous picture of a wren above!  An amazing shot captured by Kelly Colgan Azar (courtesy of Flickr).  To me, this is what it’s about – a bracing walk outside, preferably where it is frosty enough for you to see your breath in the crisp cold, and appreciating nature going on quietly.  Obviously, this is preferably followed by coming indoors to a cosy fire (or if you live in a flat like me, snuggling up with lots of candles and wooly rugs), and a mug of mulled wine!

Some people seem to think that nature just goes to sleep, or dies, over the Winter, and turn their gaze away from the outside world – but spend a little time outdoors and you’ll see the complete opposite is true.  Watch our hardy, stalwart birds bobbing through the bare branches of frosted trees, for example, and somehow it is easier to appreciate the beauty and power of nature than it is in warmer , sunnier times, where your senses are more over-saturated with growth and life everywhere you look.

It all comes down to this, for me anyway – it isn’t about what you’ve spent.  It’s about making the most of the period, in the best way for you and those you love.  It is about time, effort and love.  Further from that – actually try to enjoy it yourself!  Don’t concentrate ALL your attentions on not making it enjoyable for everyone else – they’ll enjoy it much more if you’re happy and relaxed (as relaxed as possible), I find.

Anyway, that’s my opinion.  This Christmas Day, I am overjoyed to say that my Mum is cooking the dinner!  After cooking goose for ten last year, I will be so grateful for the year off.  But I’ll be doing our Christmas Eve Party this year, and I’ll be at work on Christmas Eve itself, probably until the afternoon…so I will let you know what preparations I’ll be doing beforehand to make this feasible!

But my first steps towards Christmas are underway…wreaths.

See my next post, and thanks for reading!