The Giving

Yesterday was spent mainly in my bedroom, watching the internet pass by and (finally) getting my critical essay done. That's two out of three needed in before Christmas completed, and I feel light. The essay was the most worrying to me.

With the plans for today focusing on the giving part of Christmas, as well as spending time with my lovely lady friend Hayley, I find myself wondering. Of course no one needs an excuse to give presents to the ones they love, and no one needs an excuse to celebrate God. I mean those that do, already praise whenever they can, and those that don't use Christmas as a break from the normal, to come together and enjoy family, however much turmoil that causes.

In the last few years I have had strange Christmasses, I can speak of a house without a tree, or decorations, or even proper presents. There was no unwrapping together by the fire, surrounded by the sound of Christmas day cartoons, no real feast. In short, there was no atmosphere at all. And I missed it.

I was brought up, for seventeen years, in a house that did proper Christmas, with us (the children of the house) bugging our parents for the right to open presents. Still in our pjs we'd come downstairs at six am, woken by our own excitement, and we'd see all those presents neatly laid under the tree just waiting for us to come and open them, tear a corner of that wrapping paper to guess what's inside!

Nine am was when they'd let us open them, the older ones of us enforcing the young, making sure we were fair. We had to have breakfast and be dressed (at least partially) before we could open them. Mum and dad had to be back from the mass they attended on Christmas morning (a time we'd spend watching tv and staring longingly at the presents, occasionally discussing what we'd open first).

Then when nine was on the clock we'd pull our parents into the room and sit down as a family opening presents. We had to be careful not to open too many too quickly so that we'd avoid the jealousy of not having surprises left like the rest. We were always encouraged to keep a list to write the thank you cards later (not that we actually did that for most of our years). All in all, it was over in around half an hour. The wrapping would be lain in the fire, the presents hauled up to rooms to be put away before church, and then in hats and scarves and gloves we'd head out and attend church.

Seven minutes down the road we'd walk, to the church that we'd attended every Sunday since we were born. We'd exchange "Merry Christmas" with everyone there. Get asked what we got, and then bundle into the main hall where we'd spend an hour being reminded what the day was about, and always taking something we'd been given for Christmas to show off to the rest of them. There were always those quirky little gifts that people had thought would please us. And then, when the hour was up we'd head home again, wrapped up in our cozies.

Lunch was started once we got home, ready for around one pm. Nibbles preceeding it, peanuts and tomato juice, the tradition in our family. We'd watch tv, play with our gifts, perhaps challenge each other to board games. All the while the cooking ensued in the kitchen, bright smells wafting through with the warmth.

Then lunch itself in all it's affair; roast turkey (usually), complimenting veg - roast potatoes, roast parsnips, cabbage, carrot, swede, mushrooms and always sprouts. Then the sausage-meat stuffing, and the mini sausages. After came the Christmas pudding, and mince pies and other Christmassy noms.

Finally we'd help clean up, all taking our share. We'd return to our rooms, or to the living room for tv and possibly board-games. Spend the rest of the afternoon digesting. Turkey sandwiches (if we wanted them) in the evening. Crackers at some point, laughing at the jokes even though they were terrible with those plastic prizes that were enjoyed oh so much.

The giving part of Christmas has become my favourite in recent years. The receiving is nice, but seeing the other person opening your present to find what they wanted is more reward than the present in return. The giving, I think, is what was missing in recent years. I gave, but being given to in return is a different thing. When you're around selfish people you learn what it is to give without expectation. This year, I know I will see free giving in return, and I will appreciate it more than the gifts. I have discovered what the phrase "it's the thought that counts" truly means.