What crazy pressures we pile on ourselves at this time of year. I don’t know about you but in the past I have felt completely run down and exhausted by Boxing Day. The fantasy Christmas we read about in magazines with gloriously dressed Christmas trees and tables groaning under a veritable feast of goodies, smiling children, husbands helping out and cheerful mothers-in-law all dressed in beautiful jewel coloured cashmere and velvet are all there not I feel to inspire but to make us feel even more insecure. Why do we do this to ourselves? A friend I was speaking with yesterday sheepishly and guiltily told me that she got all her Christmas food from Waitrose already prepared. So what? Go for whatever makes you more relaxed and able to enjoy time with your family or with whomever you chose to spend Christmas.
My 12 year old greets me each morning with the countdown to Christmas – normally in Christmases past this would have sent me into a complete tailspin this year a sense of calm has descended and I’m not yet sure whether to enjoy it or be panicked by my horizontality. My view is that it will get done, it always does. I will be surrounded by those that I love.
Being a recovering control freak is helping – I don’t feel the need to provide home made everything and the more people I invite to Christmas lunch the more help and offers of food and drink I get. Accept ALL offers of help! Choose for an easy life every time!
Decide what you really want over Christmas – peace and joy is high on my list and if that means buying mince pies rather than slaving in the kitchen with filling homemade mincemeat into home made pastry then so be it.
I’ll have another sloe gin please home made of course 😉
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Absolutely. Last year was one of the easiest I had had in a long time and I had 14 to Christmas lunch. But all of us agreed, including teenagers, that it was one of the best we have had. It was lovely because everyone brought something – Robin brought the turkey, Kate brought the starter, my Mum brought the pudding and I did the veg and it felt great and they felt great because everyone gave something to the day and I have continued to do that throughout the year. When I organise a big gathering of friends and they offer to bring something I saw absolutely and thank you. One of the most memorable get togethers was a dinner in Hampton of friends, some who knew each other and some who didn’t and where we all brought something to the dinner – food and experience – and it was the sort of night that you are glad you had and look back on with such pleasure. And I am still using the ginger pudding recipe with much success and very little effort on my part. So here’s to saying yes to any help offered at get togethers because we all know that it feels good to give and, in this case, its even better and less tiring to receive!