A Season of Light and Warmth

I love this time of  year, our winter festival of Christmas and New Year (not 'The Holidays').  I love the brightness and warm of the Christmas decorations, the coming together of friends, the exchanging of gifts (modest is fine by me, it's the thought that counts), the feasting on good food and drink.

It makes such wonderful good sense to have a time in the midst of winter when we can hibernate, if only for a little while.  A time to keep warm, to recharge batteries, to remember what is good in life.

I  often wonder how people living in the Southern hemisphere get through their winter months without Christmas to break the gloom.

I did have to go into work for a few days over the Christmas period, but it wasn't for full days, not unlike those working in shops, many of whom only got Christmas Day off, such is the greed of big retaillers to make as much money as they can,  even if it means that their staff can't spend much time with their families.

 The weather was very blowy and blustery, with lots of heavy rain and strong winds, especially on St Stephen's Day. It was not at all favourable for the long walks I'd planned, so  instead, I stayed inside,  read some of my Christmas books and rearranged the cushions!

Although most of the days were dull and gloomy, the sun burst through this afternoon. It bathed the garland on the stairs in a golden light and prompted me to get my camera, jump in the car, and drive to the shore to catch the last sunset of 2013.

As the sun set on 2013, I was thankful for a year that was mostly good, and that 2014 will bring happiness and prosperity to one and all. Happy New Year.

It's Almost Here

Finally it feels like Christmas.  The weather is suitably bleak although the  forecasters are undecided as to whether there's any chance of snow.  The romantic in me hopes that we will have snow as there's nothing like waking up on a  Christmas morning to a world that's covered in  white to make  you believe in magic again. It's almost as good as catching Santa Claus leaving presents at the bottom of your bed. 

The tree is up, the house decorated, the cards sent and the most of the presents wrapped. After a couple

of hectic weeks at work, when I thought I'd never find time to get organized for Christmas, I'm suddenly ready for the festivities. 

 I am looking forward to relaxing, spending time with my family, catching up with friends, sitting in front of the fire in the dark, with just  the glow of fairy lights and the flickering of candles. There's books to be read, movies to be watched and music to be enjoyed.

Tomorrow I'll exchange gifts with some of my dearest friends,  we'll visit relatives on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day will be just for ourselves, cosy at home, enjoying good food, walks with the dog, and  phone calls to loved ones overseas. A quiet low-key  time, just as we like it.

The message of Christmas, of love, friendship and generosity is found in our hearts, not in the ringing of tills or the Twelve Pubs of Christmas.  I  hope each and everyone has a joyful Christmas with those you love.

Post-Christmas Hibernation

It's these days that I like best. The days after Christmas when the pressure is off and there's no excuse for not relaxing. The big dinner has been cooked, the cards sent, the gifts exchanged, so there's nothing left to do but to slow down, take it easy, and chill  out.  It's time for long chats on the phone, for watching films, for reading, and, for some, studying. It's the perfect time, in many ways, for hibernating.
The January sales, which nowadays start on St Stephen's Day, no longer tempt me.  I don't need new clothes, and if I do, I can always pick them up at a discounted price in TK Maxx at any time of the year.  Our house is furnished and decorated, and Santa brought me a new lens, so I have no reason to go shopping.
The sunshine of recent days gave way to grey skies and rain, so apart from walking the dog, I didn't
venture out today.  I took my seat in front of the warm stove, read, chatted, and hatched a plan that dinner would consist of whatever we could find in the freezer. A fine plan which worked well.

Merry Christmas Everyone

I love Christmas. I always have done so. I remember as a little girl, lying in the cold darkness of the winter night,  listening, willing myself to hear sleigh bells and the clatter of reindeer hooves on the roof.  I always fell asleep too soon but in the morning I'd find my presents at the bottom of my bed.  I remember too going to Christmas mass with my parents, sitting upstairs in the gallery of the small country church, listening to the carols which seemed to me to echo the singing of angels. (Yes, we did have a good choir!)
While I no longer believe in fairytales, I still love Christmas.  I love the idea of a festival to brighten
the darkest days of the year. I love the decorations, the cards we send to friends, the exchanging of gifts with those we love, the family traditions,  the feeling of goodwill to all. I love putting up the decorations, remembering the stories of where and when they were purchased, blending family recipes to create our own Christmas dinner, getting out the old china and best table cloth.
I'm not naive enough to think that everyone enjoys Christmas.  For many people it's a time of sadness, a reminder of empty places around the table, of loved ones who won't be joining the celebrations.  For others,  it's a struggle to meet the expectations which our materialistic society have foisted on this mid-winter festival.
I hope everyone has had an enjoyable and peaceful Christmas with those they love.

Far From The Madding Crowds

Today I wanted to escape from the madness which surrounds the build up to Christmas.

I wanted nothing of packed shops, thronging crowds and the ringing of tills.
I had braved the supermarkets yesterday  so the cupboards are full, and I just have to buy a few last minute fresh groceries tomorrow.
Today I wanted to take time out with himself. I wanted to leave the world of commercialism behind, to walk along the shores of Carlingford Lough, through the narrow village streets, and to sit outside  drinking hot chocolate with the dog. That is what we did and it was good.
The village, normally busy with day trippers, was quiet and Paul Henry clouds hovered above The Mournes.