Merry Christmas Blog 2021. (24^th December ).

So many things to consider in the run up to Christmas but hopefully it is now nearly all done for you as it is for us.

I have yet to wrap. I like to do that while listening to the carol service from, I believe Kings College Cambridge on BBC radio 4 (at 4 here ) . It is a ritual that might not last. I remember last year noting some of the, what is to me, nonsense, in the readings and prayers. I do like the carols though, or I think I do....maybe if I attended to the words!

We are back this year to our usual pattern of giving with more than one gift in every direction. Last year we wanted to get away from consumerist Christmas, and the resultant madness and brain strain about what to buy. We did secret Santa. It was a fiasco as the website got it wrong. They must employ the lousiest programmers in the English speaking world when the prime and very simple task of assigning one of four presents to one of four people could not be achieved. Fortunately some complications over posting and timing were discussed and revealed the mistake.

This year we decided to make guidelines for less consumerist giving. We want to give smaller gifts and to shop locally, definitely no Amazon buying, nor Amazon destroying gifts.

I will let you know how it goes. An added detail seems to be not using plasticised wrapping paper. Our kind neighbour brought us back last weekends newspapers from England so I am going to use those. Oliver has wrapped in brown paper with hearts on it! Other presents are still en-route to the tree.

It is however a plastic tree but I am sure we are on form after seven years to make it last the required ten years to make this more ecologically sound than natural trees.

We are also turning the heat down in the house. ( I mean physical not emotional !). This however I will admit is more due to our son being here from cold Canada than eco concerns. He and his house mates have their central heating at 21'c. Our temperature depends on the number of logs we shove into the wood burner. It is a bit hit and miss so we have to open doors, and stringently control the cylinder gas fire in the kitchen.

Before any aware readers throw up their hands on horror at these two environmentally unfriendly heat sources I will say we do have the house pretty well insulated.

Okay, so I wont get much into what we are going to eat or do over Christmas...I fear fish is not so sound, card games must be okay though?

So it is time and there is space to write of the true meaning of Christmas. If only I knew. It seems the powers that be picked a convenient date, many centuries ago to over ride pagan midwinter festivities and make a big Christian festival. Does that minimise it's real meaning for Christians? I only have, as far as I know one Christian friend, and she has only just mastered posting on face book so whether she will see this blog I don't know. Mary (good name for the occasion ) are you there? Please tell us about the meaning of Christmas for you!

I have evolved a sense of what it is all about for me. It is a time to reflect on what is important in our lives, on connection, love and purpose. That for me is almost a definition of my spirituality in general. Good congruency there then!

Happy Christmas and may 2022 be the year of much needed change in the world for all of us.