Today has been great. It started with my mad kitten Tonks tearing over the bed with enthusiasm. Gifts and bed bouncing excitement for young parts followed. Then Rose kindly read two chapters of Harry Potter to us until we went back to sleep for a couple more hours which helped a bit with the exhaustion and pretty awful back pain.

The rest of the day was devoted to Christmastime stuff; gift wrapping, visiting friends and family, cuddles with gorgeous little Sophie, my goddaughter. I’ve been blessed with such generous and kind friends, it’s hard to believe that only a few years ago I spent Christmas at a free Salvos lunch because I was poor and lonely and in need of some care. I never got around to the Christmas tree or various other traditions this year, Rose having a broken ankle changed plans somewhat. But there was baking and mulling and bottling and the smell of cloves and cardamom and the kitten playing with little balls of scrap wrapping paper.

I went to a candlelight church service in the evening which had beautiful prayers for love and hospitality and kindness. It moved me. Afterwards I felt dissociative and sad so I bought ice cream and went to visit my sister to watch The Nightmare Before Xmas, which is another Christmas Eve tradition of ours.

I hope that wherever you are, you’re finding ways to celebrate or ignore Christmas that are meaningful for you. Take care!