Is it my imagination or does time speed up once December begins? It seems no time at all since I was helping to turn on the lights in the centre of town and now it’s the week running up to Christmas! It is also the week of the winter solstice. The shift in light, days getting longer, an exciting change of energy, I think, though it seems to be a long haul till it is light in the evening. I used to always notice the change when I was working in the shop. The slow increase in light was so obvious when locking up. Gradually it was noticeable when clearing up and walking home that the darkness was fading… that brought such a great feeling of optimism for the summer.
This time of year we think of friends as we send and receive Christmas cards and try to fathom out what’s the best present to buy. These days I mostly write cards to friends I don’t see often or who live far away. It can sometimes feel a bit disappointing to see the masses of cards other households have so I have to keep a lid on that competitive thought. Making the perfect meal can also be stressful which isn’t the point at all! Far better to have a chat around simple food than to feel grumpy and exhausted by getting food on the table together with warmed up plates and enough gravy. I’ll be helping out at Frome’s Great Christmas Get-together on Christmas Day held at the Football Club… a wonderful sociable gathering. All power to the fantastic cooks and the masses of other volunteers that make this event such fun and a great place of sharing and celebration at this time of year. Have a very merry time this Christmas… best wishes.
