This past December was been really difficult. There were lots of challenges but mainly we struggled with Dorothy being quite poorly. She’s on the mend now and wasn’t too bad on Christmas day but what her ill-timed poorliness has shown is how fragile my grasp on Christmas (my house….family life….reality??…) actually is!
I adore everything about Christmas and look forward to December all year long.
You see I can hold it all together – source the presents, clean the house, ice the biscuits, visit Father Christmas, hide the presents, prep the food, attend the concerts, write to Father Christmas, wrap the presents, move the elf, host the guests, write the cards, cook the food, read ‘The Night Before Christmas’, feed the cake, clean the house again, buy festive pyjamas, dress like a Mrs Christmas, sing Jingle Bells and above all, make it all absolutely bloody magical(!!) provided my health holds up and nothing unexpected happens. Unexpected things like a vomiting child, a house fire, burst pipe or a slightly traumatic general election can really scupper the plans of even the biggest Christmas fans.
Recently I was a bit upset about how rubbish this Christmas has been and a lot of my friends sought to reassure me that no matter how ‘imperfect’ Christmas is, all that children want is a bit of festive magic and a selection box and they’re happy.
That’s when I realised. It’s not just them, it’s me 😂. I know my children don’t expect a winter wonderland, but I kinda do. I LOVE Christmas. No really. You know when people say they love Christmas and what they really mean is that they quite like sparkly decorations and presents. That’s not me – I adore everything about Christmas and look forward to December all year long.
The run up is always so much more magical than the 12 days of Christmas – don’t you think? And yet every year I spend it furiously crafting last minute gifts and getting worked up about all the things I don’t have time to do. I see people in Christmas movies sitting around in ugly sweaters, drinking hot chocolate. I see them leisurely icing cookies for Santa instead of throwing 100s and 1000s round the kitchen. I see them calmly taking their seats at carol services and wearing cocktail dresses with actual shaved legs! I see them and I wish that I wasn’t sat in my pyjamas at 2am, working through a never ending to do list.
Well guess what. Next year I’ll be that woman with time to spare come December. My gifts will be ready (thoughtfully selected and eco-friendly or handmade of course), my food will be delicious (collected over the course of the year from places we’ve visited), my decorations will be up early (beautiful and full of memories), my social calendar will be full (we’ll host parties galore) and I will be free to enjoy everything good about the season.
To achieve this I’m going to need help. Like a weightlifter needs someone to spot them and a dieter loses more weight of they attend meetings, I think I’d be much more successful of I approach this as part of a group.
So starting in January, I’m going to begin preparing for Christmas 2020 and I’d love you to join me. Each month I’ll work on a new skill or craft and we’ll use it to create unique gifts. We’ll collect delicious food and recipes and source experience gifts for our loved ones. We’ll come up with ways to get involved in our communities and create memories and traditions to add that extra bit of magic to Christmas.
You can come along with me on my festive adventure over the next year by joining the Marvellous Christmas Club and you’ll be the first to hear when I publish a new festive post or video. You’ll also receive exclusive Christmas printables, recipes and crafts throughout the year. In my Facebook group you can share your progress with other Christmas fans!
Above all the plan is not perfection, as much as that would be lovely, I’m not sure the perfect Christmas exists. Â This isn’t about wanting to be all things to all people or succumbing to the pressure to be perfect. Â The plan is to prepare a marvellous Christmas, well ahead of time, so that come December we have plenty of time to truly enjoy the season and do what we really want to do!
Who is with me?
Love Rachel 🎄
