I wish you a Merry Christmas!

Oh my goodness, here we are at Christmas Eve. How are you? Frazzled off your face? I’m a mixture of calm with only having 3 visitors and extras for the Christmas table tonight and tomorrow and also running around like a fruit loop trying to work out what I forgot to get at the shops last night, making beds, cleaning and trying to sort out our menu for tomorrow (I bought ocean trout fillets and have NO idea what to do with them or serve with them) whilst listening to endless renditions on the recorder and fielding questions about what the elves and santa are doing now. And now. How about now? I want to be ready by the time the visitors arrive at 2pm and be able to relax and enjoy everything.

Here, let’s have some Christmas spirit:

My little sister filmed a whole lot of clips for me at DJ’s yesterday and I’ve been watching them when the spirit lulls. What is it about choirs and carols? The actual best!

So here we are at Christmas Eve. Christmas can be a little like this don’t you think?

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This year I must say, I’m feeling a little like the dog. I’m feeling so rich (not of money) but of heart. I’ve got our whole family with us for the very first Christmas. All of us here at last and we get to start the magic and wonder of Christmas all over again. Over the past week we’ve seen pretty much every person in our entire extended families. Rob and I are lucky enough to have all our parents with us and in good health (Rob’s Dad got a clear bill of health recently from his scare last year) and tomorrow I get to have Christmas Day with my Dad – the first time in maybe 20 years? 21? We’ve had a wonderful and busy year, achieved so much and seen so much – we truly are so lucky. I’m grateful for all of it and sound more and more like my own Mother when I say that I don’t want anything for Christmas (except I actually mean it!) I have everything that I want already.

I know that things aren’t this good for lots of people. I know that things won’t always be this good for us. Times change, things happen but right now I am stopping, breathing it in, and grinning.

Yesterday I got an email from the woman who won the Oxfam hamper giveaway last week. She donated the hamper to her friend who is having a terrible time having just left an abusive long term relationship with her 3 kids having to start again with nothing. Michelle wrote to me “She cried so much and was still crying when she drove up the driveway of where she’s staying and found all these boxes addressed to her. It put the biggest smile on her soul and she just can’t believe it. She’s taking it as a sign that life is truly changing for the better. Thank you Beth and Oxfam, your gift has truly given someone hope that life can deal some good cards. And I feel good that I was able to “give” this to her also. Giving feels bloody good and it’s what this season is all about.”

Isn’t that the best?

It’s so true, that helping out others makes US feel so good. I know that Christmas isn’t actually about presents and whether you have glazed your ham right or your table is set just so. All that stuff is just that…stuff. There are so many people doing it hard at the moment for various reasons, suffering with sickness or with death and tragedy in their lives. I know anyone who is going through tough times with loved ones, given the chance, would just want to spend time with their loved ones.  It’s good to remember that when you’re running around the Woolies carpark for the 7th time looking for a park. Spend the time with the kids talking to them about Santa and soak up some of their wonderment. Instead of getting frustrated at them getting in the way in the kitchen as you prep for tomorrow, take the time to be with them, be in the moment.

I reckon we would all be better off if we stopped thinking of our selves and our needs and looked around and helped some of the people around us. Like Michelle said, it feels good. I’m going to try to go out of my way today and do something nice for a stranger. I don’t know what it is yet, but I’m going to do it and I’d encourage you to too. Wheel someones trolley back for them. Give a busker some money. Make a donation to a charity. Volunteer your time to people that need it. Give your time, your real attention, time and love to your own family.

Maybe like that choir up above we’d all be in harmony and unison if we all stopped being so selfish and focused on our parts without realising that they fit into a bigger picture? I don’t know, I’m being all sentimental because it’s Christmas, but I just think we could all do with being a little less me me me, us us us and think of the bigger part we all play.

Together.

Thank goodness we all have different points of views and voices. If we allow for differences, we might just realise that they work together with our own.

Or something.

Merry Christmas to all YOU Guys in any case. I hope that your day tomorrow is filled with wonderful memories. I hope you can sit back and enjoy it, be the grinning one, enjoying Christmas for all it can be. And for all of you doing it tough this year, I’m thinking of you and wishing you a little peace that only Christmas can bring. While it might be tough this year, it will get easier.

Merry Christmas friends x

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Comments

  1. These words really ring true because dad is in hospital right now, hopefully to be released in a few hours and for me Christmas is about family, health and happiness. Your health is your wealth as far as I’m concerned and this year I’ll be spending lots of moments with my dad and listening to every single word my kids tell me. Merry Christmas Beth, I’m sure it will be a fabulous day. xx

  2. Merry Christmas Beth, it’s so encouraging to actually be able to “hear” how full your heart is this Christmas. It’s wonderful and makes me happy.
    People might look at your life and think “if only” for themselves, when really, the only thing between us and our own version of what you have is courage. Courage and belief.
    Same dealio with the exceptional Maggie – she’s here because she’s meant to be, via a good dose of courage and belief. And isn’t her presence in your family INCREDIBLE??
    That’s bloody great stuff.
    Thank you for sharing as you do, without losing sight of others.
    May your days – and Rob, Harper, Daisy, Maggie & Frank’s days be merry and bright – and may all your tablecloths stay white xxx

  3. Hi Beth, your heartfelt words about your family has brought tears to my eyes. So lovely to read this now! I am on my second strong espresso, about to hit the kitchen running whilst I clean the house and my dear husband is crossing off his outside list (which I have to him). We have a large group of family coming for lunch and dinner tomorrow. My heart is full of glad but my brain is running overtime! Sharing this special time together with family really is as good as it gets. Merry Christmas to you and yours Beth, and thank you for your inspiring, thought provoking and hilarious blog. Cheers xx

  4. That’s a lovely post Beth.
    I just got back from a last minute extended family christmas dinner. We usually only have the huge celebration every second year but this year my aunty said “nope, we are doing it anyway”. So we all trudged up the coast to their little weekender and squeezed in all the aunties, uncles, cousins, great aunts and uncles, second cousins, grandparents, great grandad, brothers and sisters, grandkids and new babies. It was truly lovely just to be together, even when my aunty insisted we all do the nut bush and YMCA between courses…….. Christmas with that bunch of crazies is the best.
    Merry Christmas to you and your lovely family and enjoy every second of Maggie’s first Christmas.
    Natalie
    x

  5. Oh Bev, my heart is full too. Belly will follow suit later. I started the day at yoga and felt all the feels. Merry Christmas to you and yours xxx

  6. thankyou beth!
    i’m glad you are in a happy place and it shows in maggie! what a joy she is!
    she looks like she’s looking at her I phone! god help us all!
    you are a character and I’ve so enjoyed following your life story including the gorgeous overseas trip! … vicariously traveling!
    I’ve enjoyed lovely stories of human kindness re Oxfam! … lovely!
    you keep it real with a great sense of humour and I love your homemaker qualities!
    thankyou for sharing! it’s better than a magazine!
    wishing you all much love at Christmas time! … warm fuzzies from m:)X

  7. Beautiful post Beth.

    Currently at work (pro: air con) (con: being at work) and will have to brave the supermarket this afternoon with the rest of the population.

    Trout fillets: maybe a Scandi vibe with loads of dill, some chat potatoes and mayo?

  8. What a lovely Christmas message. Although I had my name in the hat I can honestly say I am so glad it wasn’t me that won the oxfam stuff. Sounds like it went exactly where it was meant to go.
    I think I am organised for tomorrow but have that nagging feeling that something has been forgotten. We will be with lots of family so hopefully if it was something vital someone else has remembered. As long as we are all together that is the main thing.
    Wishing you & your family a very merry Christmas & a happy & healthy new year ?

  9. Merry Christmas to you and yours! Thanks for the timely reminder, as its easy to get caught up in the shiny things, but your message is just spot on!
    See you on the flip side! xxxx

  10. Merry Christmas to you and your family! I absolutely love your sentiment. I truly think that giving is what the season is all about. Giving of our time, love, charity. I truly feel sad when people forget this – they are missing out on life’s riches.

  11. This is why I love your blog! Happy, happy Christmas to you and your family.

  12. I agree entirely with Rosie. Your honesty and heartfelt words are a gift to all of your readers! It always amazes me when people are surprised to receive a kind gesture. Merry Christmas. I hope 2016 is a cracker for you.

  13. Merry Xmas Beth and family. I couldn’t agree more with your thoughts on sharing and caring about others. I was in hospital all last week and I am so glad that I am home whereas there are so many that will not be. I hope that you and your family have a wonderful day and I look forward to your writing next year.

  14. Lisa Mckenzie says

    Beautiful words Beth ,so very true.wishimg you and yours a wonderful ,happy Christmas and a lovely,safe and healthy NewYear Xx

  15. Merriest of Merry Christmases to you and your family. Tolerance, calmness and kindness. That’s whats important. We are visiting my mum for christmas this year here on the east coast, first time in 6 years!! It truly is wonderful.

  16. Sally Taylor says

    Ocean trout – Karen Martini has an awesome recipe. I think if you google substantial salmon salad Karen Martini… She does it with trout in her book and salmon online. It has labne, pomegranate molasses, walnuts, herbs and spices. Always a winner!

    I am also feeling strangely content. My little man has chicken pox and after traveling all the way to Adelaide for Xmas we have been exiled to the beach house. But what a life when that is the 2nd best option. One set of granny’s are still joining us, we have fab food, aircon, a tree, pool, the beach. Not as planned but after a fizzer of a festive season from these damn pox I am finding the silver lining that I am not out there buying more presents we don’t need and spending time with my kids, not dragging them around on errands and getting cranky with them. We also have KUWTK, chips and some ridgy didge full strength red coca-cola. #blessed

  17. Best wishes to you and yours. Hope it’s a lovely time with family.

    How about some salsa verde to go with the trout – something herby and zingy to cut through the oiliness of the fish. And, don’t forget the potatoes!

  18. Merry Christmas to you and your family, Beth. Another beautiful post to top of a year full of entertaining & wise words…thank you.

  19. And Merry Christmas to you and your brood. Thankyou for adding your voice to the world, it really does make it a better place 🙂 x

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