Festivities

This week of the year is always a busy one. Last minute shopping, Christmas present wrapping, cooking for and entertaining family to mention just a few things. This year has been a little different and certainly those differences will extend to the end of this week. On Saturday my son marries his girlfriend of more than 4 years at a small ceremony in London. So, this year’s festivities have that added extra excitement.

Unlike other years the run up to Christmas was calm. Not working has made all the difference and so shopping and preparing was straightforward. Also different is that my mum is now living 100 miles away and needed collecting to spend Christmas with my younger brother and his family.

We set out on Christmas eve with a car full of presents and travelled over to her. Then we all spent the evening with my elder brother and family, including two excited 4 year old boys. We had a lovely time with pizza and wine and also playing games and toys with the children. Yesterday we travelled back with mum and dropped her off before having a quiet afternoon and evening on our own. For the third year in a row we cooked beef wellington for dinner, rather than the traditional turkey. It was lovely. We also ate in the evening rather than at lunchtime.

This afternoon we are eating in a pub with family. My younger brother, partner and her mum, son and nearly wife, and my mum.

Then on Saturday the wedding. I have my outfit at the ready. I have booked mum into a hotel for a few nights as we don’t have the space here right now. It will be a small event, with just a few family and friends but it will be fantastic, I just know it. A fitting end to what has been a difficult year, not just for me but for the wider family too. I’ll write more about that when I review the year over the next couple of days.

So this year’s Christmas festivities have somewhat broken with tradition and I am really pleased they have. It is so easy to get into a routine and always do things the same way. My mum has struggled since my dad died because of that. We have found it difficult as a family to find a new normal. But maybe it is a good thing not to create such a thing, and instead to take things as they come and to just enjoy the time you have together. It feels less stressful that way.