Monday, December 27, 2010

Project Christmas!!

So much goes into the planning of it all, the decorating, the gift buying and wrapping, the dinner and the table setting, the nibbles and if you are up to it there is Boxing Day and you can start all over again. It is a once a year project that seems to get better and can be simpler or more complicated as the years go on and your role can be anything from participant to fully fledged project manager. You can also have a role in more that one project. It usually goes over on budget which seems to be acceptable due to scope creep on the gifting side, but never goes over on time...delivery is Christmas Day, December 24th no matter what is outstanding. It feels like you have worked your socks off like any big project and the celebration Christmas Day is better than any "launch" party with those dearest to you. The experience is handed down from each generation with each family’s traditions, and there are a lot of traditions around Christmas.

It is always hard to believe that it is over for yet another year. On Christmas Eve we went to church at 7.p.m. and we were 20 minutes early. There were no seats and the only place to stand was at the back...the sides were already taken. It is hard for me to stand for that amount of time on hard flooring but I managed and it was glorious with some Sunday school children acting out the journey to Bethlehem. Given the religious aspect of this holiday season it was good to participate in the service and it always feels great when you meet friends, acquaintances and exchange greetings of the season, so cheery and relaxed.

Of course there is not only the giving, which I love, but there is also the receiving. Where someone shopped for something special, just the right thing for you. No matter what was on your Christmas list what you receive seems to be ten times better…how thoughtful and no matter the value of the gift the love that surrounds it all is priceless.

Now that Christmas is over us Scots look forward to hogmany which is New Year’s Eve. In our younger years it had to be a party, dance etc., with lots of people. Today it is more intimate visiting with the best of friends or/and family and a nice dinner out. Somewhat more relaxing and less complicated…a simpler life will be yours eventually, I hope. The celebrating continues until real life hits January 6th and the wonders of life itself reveal themselves once more. It seems harder to get to work or school in this winter wonderland than it was to get to a friends place or get the children dressed and out tobogganing…which proves it really is in our attitude. All the more reason for those New Years resolutions…keep them real and doable…but enjoy the life you have and if you are content then that is great, if not make the changes you need too. You can do it…simpler can also be better and remember in design "less is more"!!.

In memory of Mark Daly, City T.V...it is a beautiful life at Christmas, everywhere!

1 comment:

Starry-eyed stitcher said...

We had Christmas lunch at my sisters house and my brother-in-law had to meet us to escort us across the moors because the road had completely disappeared under drifting snow! Scarey, but worth it, we had a lovely day. We spent Christmas Eve in a very snowy Whitby and climbed the steps to see all the dedicated Christmas trees in the church by the Abbey.
Irene xxx