Ready for Christmas?

Absolutely, finally
I am ready for Christmas

Ready to ignore 
the pressure to 
do more
buy more
have more
want more
of stuff

Ready to join in
and laugh more
sing more
dance more
risk more
give more
of me

Ready to slow down
and follow
my own star

Ready to rejoice
with all those pilgrims
who question
the answers
they’ve been given
thus far

I sometimes imagine
those three wise men
had to not turn up
to some family gathering
some long held cultural tradition
had to simply go
not waiting for permission

Maybe they could only say
that they’ve seen a star
not sure of it’s meaning
but sure of it’s calling them
that way

I reckon they were glad
they went
tuned into their hearts 
and the universe
consequently present
to celebrate
a special baby’s birth

Whether they went with blessings
from faraway lands
I do not know

Whether they were misunderstood
judged or criticized
who can tell?

Maybe that is just a projection
of countless stories
of those who break
with tradition
for whatever reason

I’m not saying
all traditions are bad
let’s just hold them lightly
and still look 
at the stars

Remember to bless and love
those
who need to leave them 
behind

Give ourselves and others
room to be
and breathe

So I’m ready for Christmas
uniquely, peacefully
with gratitude, daily
maybe
on the 25th
I’ll wear pyjamas
and watch movies

We all have our own story of Christmas: memories, feeling, family traditions, hopes, expectations. If anything, it is an interesting time of year. Many find it challenging. I have, most definitely found it challenging through the years, for different reasons through the different seasons of my life.

One of the best Christmas days I can remember was in 2014 when we responded to the weather. It was a clear, crisp, cloudless, windless day on Gower and it was forecast rain all day, for Boxing Day. So we simply opened presents and swopped Christmas pizza lunch for fire, sandwiches and marshmallows on the beach. It was glorious. We had it all to ourselves.  We sang and danced on the sand. We felt free like birds, and light as feathers.

So this year we will just wake up and make it up. Just the three of us. That is one thing that we plan. A day for our broken family to be together, it’s important for the child. Even after divorce, one can still be friends.

How will you be spending Christmas this year? Do you have strong traditions, emotions or opinions about what Christmas means and how to celebrate it?

I’d love to hear from you.