Will Christmas Really Happen Without the Brussels Sprouts?
A gentle reminder that perfection isn’t part of the festive season
Ok, so we are less than a week away from the craziest day of the year. The day that creates so many stressed, anxious shopaholics. The question on everyone’s lips is “Are you ready for Christmas?”, but my question to you is “Will the world really stop if we don’t have enough Brussels sprouts and mince pies to feed the potential army of guests who may decide to visit?”
I don’t know about you, but it really is pretty difficult to detach yourself from the madness at this time of year, no matter how hard you try. Don’t get me wrong, I really love Christmas. It’s a fun time, and having the whole family in one place, all at the same time, feels like such a wondrous achievement, something so special. But what I don’t like is the ever-increasing pressure to have the ‘perfect’ Christmas. We are surrounded by images of perfect people sitting in perfect, mess-free homes, eating mountains of perfectly cooked and colour-coordinated food. Who even knows what a ‘perfect’ Christmas is? And by the way, if I choose not to have my tree up by the end of November, it doesn’t mean I’m the Grinch!
Life is full of pressures, and we really don’t need any more, especially at the time of year when we should all be enjoying time with friends and family. So this year, I am taking it a little slower. As a family, we do Secret Santa for the adults, and normal gifting for the children. I was a bit sceptical, and honestly, I do miss shopping for gifts for everyone. But who needs the financial burden at the end of the year and a bag full of well-meaning but inappropriate gifts to take home once the holidays are over?
The decorations are (almost) complete, my Secret Santa gift has arrived and is waiting to be wrapped, and my food shopping list is growing by the hour! I truly cannot wait until the fridge is full and I can relax and enjoy whatever comes my way - and with 2 grandchildren arriving, it’s going to get noisy!
Whatever the holiday season means to you and your loved ones, I hope it is filled with love, laughter, and that you take time for yourself to enjoy it all too.
Thank you for being a subscriber and supporting this little corner of my world. It really does mean so much.
With all best wishes for the holidays and 2026, I bid you a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.
Suzanne