My sister in law died last Christmas morning. Her husband was at her bedside. He heard the clocks strike midnight. He told her “It’s Christmas Day” and she died.
This winter will feel long and hard and many of us will be missing family and friends this year for reasons ranging from distance, illness, death, covid restrictions, working in essential services, restricted finances..... I think we have to get thru it all as best we can, be kind to each other and celebrate whatever we can whenever we can and however we can whether that's a good meal, a toast with whatever takes our fancy or chocolates.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
I always think when someone dies over Christmas - “that’s Christmas ruined forever for that family”. The first Christmas after somebody passes away is always extra difficult too. Everyone copes so differently. I hope anyone who is having their first Christmas without a loved one can find a way through. I remember thinking that I miss them every single day, so it’s just another day. I found comfort that they weren’t ill and in pain any more, which was the only positive I could think to start with. Since then, I feel comfort in feeling that I keep traditions going in stead of, and in memory of, them. One is opening a tin of sweets and one present on Christmas Eve, another one is smoked salmon breakfast.
Am so sorry to hear your news Pansy. That poor cat looks disgruntled. We have the opposite problem, 2 long haired dogs, how the devil does all that dog hair get underneath the sofas!!!
I think we will be putting up a tree earlier than usual. We always used to put it up on the 9th, after Dads birthday. He died 6 hours before his 85th, in hospital. We think he thought he had had his Birthday, as my sister had taken his Birthday slippers in to him. He always said he wanted to get to 85.
Our next door neighbour found his mum dead on the kitchen floor when he went round for xmas dinner last year. I guess he is not going to have a good xmas this year. Last year was dreadful for him.
You don't stop doing new things because you get old, you get old because you stop doing new things.
The hardest thing is that everyone else is being jolly.
Indeed. Which is why I have difficulty with the 3 ring circus it's become. Not everyone sees it as the be all and end all. It can be a hellish time for many people.
However, I will buy a cut tree this year again, despite having a live one I bought a couple of years ago. It's a vital part of our economy, as they're a crop here.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I am a Christmas humbug too - but I do like the ginger tea, fairy lights and evergreen side. I am not doing anything inside but our community group will go town in our local streets - decorating the street trees, hedges and some trees in our local park.
My current dillema is whether to organise some local carol singing through December.
My plan is to spend the 25th in bed with home roast duck, a bottle of Baileys and a box set of the Sopranos. Hurrah!
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I don’t know how he’s going to cope.
Still, I suppose somebody has to die on Christmas Day.☹️
Everyone copes so differently. I hope anyone who is having their first Christmas without a loved one can find a way through. I remember thinking that I miss them every single day, so it’s just another day. I found comfort that they weren’t ill and in pain any more, which was the only positive I could think to start with. Since then, I feel comfort in feeling that I keep traditions going in stead of, and in memory of, them. One is opening a tin of sweets and one present on Christmas Eve, another one is smoked salmon breakfast.
However, I will buy a cut tree this year again, despite having a live one I bought a couple of years ago. It's a vital part of our economy, as they're a crop here.