What I won't be doing this Christmas

Since I started Heydays, my Christmas posts have all been very practically focused - there was THIS ONE about giving gifts that show you really care. Lots of game ideas for your family to enjoy in THIS ONE. A slew of, invaluable-tho-I-do-say-so-myself, eco-friendly Christmas tips in THIS ONE and THIS ONE . And lots of clever ways to do Christmas on a budget in THIS ONE and THIS ONE.

This year’s festive offerings are slightly more reflective, though I’m sure I won’t be able to resist a light dusting of ideas and tips.

The first and most significant thing that I won’t be doing this year, for pretty much the first time in decades, is hosting Christmas at my home (there have been one or two missed years along the way due to unusual circumstances). Once my family all stopped spending Christmas Day with my aunt and uncle, both of whom worked in the catering/hospitality industry so the meal was always a particular highlight, our growing gang gravitated to the next largest and most convenient venue, which happened, at the time, to be my home. And there we have all convened each year, sharing the responsibilities for the festive food (my sister has followed in the family footsteps and is also a caterer, so she’s always in charge of the main course - I’m no fool), and all our raucously enjoyed accompanying fun and games.

Even though I downsized to my current, lovely home ten years ago, it has continued to be the place we gather together each year, never minding that it has become bit of a happy squish to fit everyone in around the table.

Last year, though, with the inclusion of two more little grand girls to add to the two who’d only been very little the year before, it was clear that my little house had reached the limit of its capacity, and that things would have to be different next time.

No more happy squishing round my Christmas table

Now here we are at ‘next time’ and the gang - who number 26 including the four littlies - is moving to a new Christmas venue. The next largest and most convenient home. Which happens to belong to my eldest daughter. All the festive-facilitating responsibilities will stay the same, but it will no longer be me rejigging the furniture to fit the table in, making sure there’s enough crockery, cutlery and glasses for everyone, playing host on the day, and then clearing up the remaining debris when everyone has finally departed (to be fair, there’s relatively little of that because everyone plays just as much of a part in washing and tidying up as they do in the preparations).

It’s a bittersweet moment. There’s sadness at reaching the end of this long and deeply treasured era. I have truly loved every one of those family festive celebrations and I am endlessly grateful to have been able to host them. But also there’s the recognition that change is, of course, inevitable and the peaceful acceptance this is the right moment for this particular change to happen. I know we will embrace our new Christmas ‘home’ with our usual rowdiness (maybe we should warn the neighbours) and I look forward to making lots of new festive memories there, together with the new generation of our family.

What else I won’t be on my Christmas doing list this year:

I accept this one’s possibly a bit controversial - Christmas cards. It’s not so much the cost of buying them (I always get charity ones so I’m happy to make that contribution), or the time needed to write them (though my handwriting has definitely deteriorated - I blame all the typing), but the top-it-all cost of postage. I mean, whilst I hate to sound too Scrooge-like, 75p for a second class stamp and a whopping £1.25 for a first class one, is frankly the nail in the coffin for the whole malarky as far as I’m concerned. When I can send something just as delightfully festive complete with a personal message by email and save all that cost and time, why wouldn’t I?

I make no apologies for the other thing on my not-this-year list. Buying anything from Amazon. The festive period is a key time for any retail business and life is tough enough for small businesses trying to keep their heads above water in the face of the onslaught of the online behemoth (apparently 42% of people will buy their presents there). So I for one won’t be adding to their Christmas coffers and instead will search out the presents I want to buy from small and ethical businesses and charity shops (which, I was delighted to read today, are seeing an upsurge in their takings).

And what I’ll try not to do…..but don’t hold out much hope of succeeding

Eating too much (see sister-who’s-a-caterer above)

Not doing enough (for which read, any) exercise. Does walking to and from the kitchen count? Oh……

What won’t you be doing this Christmas? I’d love to know.