Now I know not everyone on Moodscope celebrates Christmas. We live in different countries with different traditions. So I’m sorry if this blog today doesn’t apply to you. 

Maybe though the sentiments do and can be applied to any large national celebration involving presents, lots to eat, shops full of things to buy, glittery decorations everywhere indicating the arrival of one or possibly two days of family get togethers and other combinations of people or none at all.

It’s started!

In fact some people have all their presents wrapped.

All I know is that I have started to feel jittery. The Christmas build up!

This year as in may years previously, we have sat down and said “Ooh it looks as if we might just have a Christmas on our own!” and then follows a carefree discussion about how we don’t have to decide what to eat on the 25th until the day before and we could go anywhere in fact. We don’t have to stay at home Yay!

But gradually, slowly seeping through come the suggestions from family who live far away to spend Christmas with us, which shatter my peace. 

I accept with “Oh how wonderful. I thought we weren’t going to see you this year! Are you sure you want to travel all that way? Don’t feel you have to come and see us!”

And so the jitters begin. The whole caboodle of Christmas descends on me.

Of course I adore my family. That’s a given. I love them to bits. It’s wonderful they actually want to come and stay; be with us over the festive period.

It’s totally my reaction which is at fault. I think it’s a learned reaction, one I have every year at this time. I notice it in the physical sense before my brain registers why and then I realise it’s this time of year again.

I have decided to try to keep December as clear as possible of social engagements and invitations to share in pre Christmas cheer. 

They’ve started to come from all directions. I’ve already said No to one and am trying to fight off another two at the moment but am finding an excuse difficult unless I lie.

Of course money this year is a negative factor in all this. If I do Christmas which increasingly looks as if I am going to have to do, I want to do it properly in the way my family have come to expect.

My heart goes out to those who cannot afford the basics this year at this special time. 

I am wondering how others feel here? What your Christmas will be like this year? How are you dealing with the seasonal jitters?

Jul

A Moodscope member