The nicest bits of Christmas and December

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Just thinking on the nicest Christmassy/ winter/ December/ solstice things I've done this month. In no particular order: carolling and mulled wine by a bonfire in the woods with DS. Solsitce dip in a lake with friends. Lots of lake swimming actually. Attending my little ones Christmas concert. Meals out with friends & family. A seasonal yoga and meditation session. A very low key Christmas market with some artisan stalls and a brass band, where DS sang along. Family walks on the beach. Sleeping later. Going to bed earlier. Nice cheese and general nice food.

So, these are the things that have brought me joy. What has not brought me joy is shopping, spending, presents, town in general, Amazon boxes, wrapping paper.

Just musing out loud really on how easy it can be to celebrate and feel nourished - nature, family, food, singing all seem to do it for me! And how easy it is to get drained and depleted by the stress and spending and business of it all.

I'm sure I'm not the only one feeling this way

My Christmas is nowadays, and has been for some years, been contained between the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on Radio 4 on Christmas Eve and about 11pm the same day. During these hours, I have listened to said FONLAC, had a substantial bite to eat, done the washing up, gone up the road for a few drinkies and come home again. Whisky and bed. Christmas Day is nothing much for me now. But I still eat and drink well, which is a blessing.

I quite like those days between Boxing Day and New Year's Eve. All the silly commercial and social Christmas pressure is gone and there is some sense of normality.