How was your Christmas and New Year break?? Did you do anything different? Did you do anything special?
I eagerly anticipated Christmas as I always do, but at the beginning of December 2012 I had a revelation : I absolutely LOVE Christmas and New Year, but realised I don’t love what we have become programmed into doing for the festive season.
Shopping for items of food which I will only eat in December (e.g., brussel sprouts!), finding a turkey to feed 20 when there’s only 4 in my immediate family, looking for presents that are “impressive” and not necessarily required, buying huge amounts of alcohol in case someone turns up at my house and doesn’t like my favourite tipple which is sparkling rose wine. Recognise the behaviour pattern?
Don’t get me wrong, family is THE most important thing to me and I love a house full of children playing, teenagers with their attitude(!) and adults lounging around whether listening to music or simply watching tv. Why then do we wait for Christmas to do these things? I couldn’t answer that question myself, so I broke all the rules (upset a few people in the process) and I jumped on a plane with my immediate family and spent Christmas in Sharm El Sheikh.
When I arrived, I realised I felt guilty for not being stressed – how crazy is that?
A banquet on Christmas Eve night in the Egypt Hall at the Royal Savoy, followed by Christmas celebrations at midnight walking through Soho Square. Christmas Day was spent on the beach in 29 degree heat and my Catch of the Day lunch included a piece of salmon, some rice and a glass of pink champagne. A swim in the sea followed later by a midnight stroll on the beach seeing in Boxing Day. Best Christmas ever.
Christmas has become a commercial festival packed with consumerism. It took me quite a few years but I’m glad I “broke the rules” and did something different. I wasn’t alone either, Gatwick’s North Terminal was heaving with passengers getting away for some sunshine and/or a stress free break.
Are you thinking about making a change this year? I no longer believe in resolutions, but have set personal goals and “promises to myself”. Last year my promise to myself was to wear more colourful clothing and less black, this year is to plan another Christmas away and not conform to what we have been programmed into doing – oh yeah and to completely de-clutter my whole house!!
All the best to you for 2013, and may you have success, whatever success means to you.
Angie x
