Thinking of candles, here's my Advent offering for today - not my photos but I like the 'atmosphere'.
Watching yesterday's dress rehearsal yesterday morning was enjoyable. It's the Juniors' chance to see the Infant show and I was able to exchange waves/smiles with some of my students as well as enjoying the music, dancing and general cuteness. It's the first proper performance this morning and I shall be attending that wearing my School Governor hat.
After that I have a parcel to post for Beth and then I need to get my Christmas gift bags made for my students as tomorrow is the last time this year for a couple of them. It's nothing much, just little bits and bobs, mostly edible, with a card, but they like it and so do I.
I have a bit of planning to get done. Not much but it needs to be done. After that I will be sorting out home stuff - the usual washing and ironing and some general clearing. Quite a busy day but nothing too difficult!
A bit of a disappointment and a blow to another Christmas tradition. Alex is staying at uni to complete some course work and Beth cannot make this weekend after all. So I will be decorating the old Christmas Tree by myself this year. So it will be carols, a bit of bubbly and when all is looking lovely, a Christmas DVD by myself. It can't be helped, nothing lasts for ever and it's nothing whatsoever in the wider scheme of things but I can't help feeling a pang of sadness.
Well, the candle is still burning gentle and it's nowhere near '5' yet but I have things to get on with so I will say 'see you tomorrow' and finish waffling on now. Have a great day and stay warm and dry.
I do feel for you when you write about decorating the Christmas tree.
ReplyDeleteFamilies growing up and the dropping of traditions is always difficult.
I remember our youngest going off to university. I sat on the bed and cried.(after he'd gone!)
I was convinced that I was no longer biologically useful!
Melodramatic but that's how I felt.
I soon discovered otherwise, at over 40 he and the others still wander in saying, “Dad, can you....? Mum have you got....”
Tipping them out of the nest is hard as you know and the traditions that fall away hurt but it is a chance to start new, grown up ones.
Enjoy your day looking forward to Alex coming home and admiring the welcoming tree and Beth popping in for a glass of something and time for a chat with the tree already twinkling in the background.
They will always need your wise and comforting presence, just in a different way.
Sue
Morning Joy, I'm sorry you won't have your traditional tree decorating weekend with Beth and Alex. But you have all your memories of Christmases past and can enjoy them as you're doing it. And, as Beachcomber Sue said above, Beth and Alex will love seeing the tree and decorations all put up ready.
ReplyDeleteI understand where you are coming from we are all adults in this house and neither of the boys is interested in all the Christmas stuff so we keep it all very low key but I do miss the fun of years gone by.
ReplyDeleteI remember one year when the girls had flown the nest and both settled with their partners that we decided on a small tree rather than the 5 to 6 foot usual one - that was going a bit too far in their eyes they expected that the traditions would carry on even when they were not living at home!! So now I have to warn them what size tree we are intending to buy as each year is different - I think this year it will be small - they will be upset!
ReplyDeletePut on some Christmas music, Joy, pour yourself a glass of something nice, or a cup of coffee or tea if that's what you prefer, and even a tiny sliver of fruit cake, and enjoy putting the decorations on the tree. It won't be the same, but you might still enjoy it, nonetheless. Christmas traditions change; we are now the 'older' generation, when once we used to host everyone for Christmas, my parents, husband's mother, my uncle, as well as our sons, but now we go to either of the sons and their wives, and things are lovely but, of course, very different.
ReplyDeleteChristmas does make us reflect, but we mustn't allow ourselves to be sad. Enjoy putting the ornaments on your tree, and if you have room, dance around it, Joy. Be joyous, even sing something from Messiah (or Mistletoe & Wine if you prefer, ha ha!)
Margaret P
What lovely, comforting comments - thank you so much everyone. I'm sure I will give it a sense of occasion. :-)
ReplyDeletexx
I'm a bit of a Scrooge at Christmas, but my grandkids are coming for a sleepover on Friday and will dig out my artificial tree and all the decorations as they insist I need to put up a tree! Probably so there is a place for their gifts.
ReplyDeleteJoy, I woke up about ten minutes ago, thinking about what I said to you. I now have my cup of tea, it's 5.12 am and I thought I'd mention this ... why not invite a friend to come and help you decorate your tree? You could offer tea or mulled wine (if she is not driving) and shortbread or some fruit cake? Make an occasion of it, a new tradition, perhaps? Just a thought! I wish I lived closer, I'd help! (But then I'd end up bossing you about, saying "No, no Joy, you can't have that bauble there, it clashes with Santa!" or some such nonsense!
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely day, Joy. As Sir Roy Strong says in his lovely book, A Country Life, "Christmas is Janus-faced. One side is joy, the other grief. It opens gates of memory firmly locked into a corner of the mind for the rest of the year. But when the festive season beckons, those gates open and the pat comes back to take us in its embrace ..."
There is more, but I always think of this when I'm sad at Christmas, thinking of the lovely times we had when newly married, and then with our boys when they were children ... and all those whom we have known and now miss.
By the way, Joy, this is a book I turn to again and again. It is a collection of Roy's writings from Country Life magazine. It was published in 1994 but it's still available, 2nd hand, on Amazon or Abe. One of my all-time favourite books.