This post is your permission slip.
I love Christmas. I love everything about it. Food, presents, decorating, music, time with family. I fizz with joy at the thought of it. The thing is, I’m writing this on the dining table next to a Christmas tree without the lights on as I forgot to turn them on this morning. I’m surrounded by washing. The beloved is wrapping presents as I’ve already taken my sulky arse to bed once as it’s all a bit much. My Christmas to-do list is giving me the twitch. Literally, I have a twitch in my left eye.
We are nearly there. It’s 12 sleeps to go and it can be overwhelming. This a reminder to you, but mostly to me, that you can take a break. Get a brew, put your feet up, listen to some rock, watch a horror film and forget the things you have to do.
Your friends and family do not care about the pristinely wrapped gift, whether your tree has dropped its needles or not, the smell of your home or whether you grated orange zest into your mince pie pastry. If they do, poke them in the eye. Your loved ones love you and want to spend time with you, not a glassy-eyed shell of a human who is trying to sew nativity costumes while singing Twelve Days of Christmas and mulling wine.
So this is your (my) reminder. Be you. Whatever you are right now. Be that, you are definitely excellent. Do whatever recharges you. Go for a run, have a bath, play games or simple snooze. Make sure your gift to yourself, and us, this year is a happy you.