Family, Friends And Festive Wishes.

I loved this Christmas tree when I saw it on Boxing day 2021. Loki and I had spent the day on Dartmoor, you may remember we found a prison for the scavenger hunt. I so wanted to share it here with my festive wishes, between visits with family and friends.

I know… I’m a little late posting my Christmas photo, sharing my festive wishes this year, but in some ways I’m also a little early too. I had a wonderful early Christmas with the boys and my extended family before taking them to their dad for the holidays. I get to enjoy Christmas all over again when they return, and I’m so excited to see them. But don’t worry, I haven’t been moping about. I’ve slept a lot due to a virus that’s been doing the rounds. (Small mercies, to be child free when ill as a single mum.) I’ve also made some wonderful memories with great friends.

Historically, I’ve hid myself away emotionally because the festivities are draining.

This year I have opened myself wide to the community. My family at either end of the holidays, the bread that holds my Christmas sandwich together. And the filling is made up of other joyful people. Gentle walks. Good food. Dancing. (So much dancing!) Talking to strangers. Sharing moments, little but thoughtful gifts, laughter.

Hmmm, it’s found it normal to reach this point of Christmas, sad and weighed down by the time of year. Imagine my surprise to be feeling refreshed, light and relaxed. Even excited, as I said above, about the forthcoming celebrations in the New Year when we have our little family celebration.

Steeled Snake’s prompt for December is Family. They say “a lot of times the people who feel most like family are those that we’ve chosen to bring into our world through friendships or other relationships”. I love this! In fact, the whole prompt got me thinking about a change that’s been noticeable in me recently.

This year is the first year I’ve felt some of the Christmas magic returning.

Perhaps it could just be the growing magic I have in my world. That the 25th December has just caught up with things like Dartmoor and fireworks? But maybe it’s also got something to do with my time in the warm embrace of family and friends, even sharing festive wishes in those fleeting interactions on the dancefloor.

Something to think about perhaps, but maybe not too much. I have hope that next years preparations will be easier, that the build will scare me a little less.