How do you sum up the spirit of Christmas?  Is it the tinsel and the turkey or something more than that?

Earlier this week one of my lovely aunties contacted me enquiring whether certain parts of our family would be on their own at Christmas time.  She was concerned about them and although she has plenty of her own matters and logistics to deal with, wanted to make sure that they wouldn’t be alone on the day.  That’s it for me, the spirit of Christmas wrapped up in generosity and unwavering tolerance.  To my aunt who may be reading, you set a fine example for the rest of us to follow regardless of how the plans unfold.

While my family all get along reasonably well, we are also slightly fragmented and spread far and wide.  It is a pleasant thought, but in reality we just aren’t the type of family who gather blissfully around the table each Christmas.  We tend to catch up in smaller chunks, breaking it down into manageable pieces of family time.  This year there will be yabby catching, dam swimming, friends calling in and of course, Lego construction.

How about giving to a charity?  This is something else I believe in and each Christmas we donate small toys and food to local charities.

Lastly for me it is about homemade gifts.  Everyone knows I love to bake and to be able to give away a little part of my heart in something buttery and sugary tied up with string feels more meaningful than unwanted items that need to be stored and dealt with.

How do you roll at Christmas?

Blissful, raucous family lunches or perhaps at quiet day at home?

I know at least one dear reader doesn’t celebrate Christmas at all.

Tinsel and turkey with all the trimmings or something more low key?

Happy Friday, friends x