Weekend Musings #4

Less than 12 days to Christmas, are you ready? A few nights ago Dr husband and I reviewed the presents we’d bought. This year, because we are one salary down, we’ve had to be strict and follow a budget, something, I confess, we’ve never done before. Yet, as we surveyed what we’d bought, we felt our presents looked miserly and rather Scrooge like. Ebenezer would be proud. It’s hard not to get caught up in the whirlwind of adverts and commercialism, and so easy to believe that we will only be happy if we give/receive the perfect gift. Recently, Kylie Barton wrote an article in Salt about how to get back to the true meaning of Christmas, atheist hypocrisy aside; she focuses on tips to help us “get some of the goodness back in a time of excessive meaningless consumerism and advert bombardment.” I didn’t agree with all her suggestions. Shunning presents in favour of charity donations is very noble, but sounds rather dull. So here are a few of my own.

Remembering Loved Ones

In a world where we’re so fixated with our screens, and my seventeen month old knows how to unlock my iphone, it’s nice to indulge in another more personal form of communication; the art of card writing. So many of my wonderful friends either no longer live in London, or sensibly refused to move here in the first place. As our family has grown, it has got more and more difficult to see people regularly, so this year we are sending out these lovely cards from Oppsadoodle. No formal Christmas letter I’m afraid, just a brief but personal note of family antics.

Festive Decorating

Margo Leadbetter would have us believe that Christmas comes from Harrods. Yet it doesn’t actually take much to make your home feel Christmassy, all you need are a few pretty lights, pinecones, carols playing, a glass of mulled wine and the right Christmas aroma. For my Christmas candle this year, I’m taking a step away from the traditional cinnamon and clove mix and instead have opted for a fresh winter scent. This Midwinter candle from floral artist Kenneth Turner is a concoction of mint, mistletoe and pine which gives it a unique fragrance.

Thoughtful Presents

This year I’ve made a real effort to consider what I buy. I’ve had to remind myself that often less is more, and that one really lovely present that someone will treasure, is better than a whole pile of presents that become redundant on Boxing Day. Also instead of buying reams of Christmas wrapping paper, I’ve bought a stag stamp to decorate the brown paper we already own.

Crackers

Most crackers and their presents go straight in the bin. In that sense they are about as unsustainable a Christmas item that exists. So this year I bought a make your own cracker kit, so I can fill them with items people will actually want (I hope). I’m afraid I can’t reveal the presents in case any recipient is reading. Art  isn’t my strong point, so I’m grateful for the minimalist trend.

Being Neighbourly

There is a wonderful children’s story by Leo Tolstoy called Papa Panov’s Special Christmas. Papa Panov is the village shoemaker who on Christmas Eve dreams he sees Jesus, who says that he will visit him on Christmas Day. So, all day long Papa Panov looks out for him. He keeps his eyes peeled for Jesus but doesn’t see him, instead he invites in the road sweeper in for a cup of coffee, offers mince pies to carol singers, warms milk for a crying child and replaces a pair of lost shoes. Then he hears the voice of his Jesus “I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me water, I was cold and you took me in. These people you have helped today, all the time you were helping them you were helping me.” Surely that’s an example to follow.

Shop The Edit

Cards, Oopsadoodle – sold out

Candle *, Kenneth Turner £42

Stamp, English Stamp Company £4

Crackers, The Little Crafty Bugs Company £5.84

All photos by N4 Mummy

Items with an * have been gifted by the company for review.