Before Christmas, someone asked me if I was excited… and I had to admit… I wasn’t really. I mean, it’s not like I was big into Christmas before we had a child – with a relatively small family it’s really just another day… with presents. But with Sam too young to understand the concept, combined with my stay at home role, it just didn’t hold a lot of focus.
When I was working, Christmas seeped in with little effort. Working the lead up to Christmas emphasised the looming deadline – the last day before holidays began! There was always something going on to remind you – decorations, small office events, or emails about the upcoming corporate party. It made it feel like things coming to an end ready to start afresh. Back at home, I was looking forward to having hubby around for the extra help, because to be honest, six months of doing nights by myself was starting to break my spirit. But when you’re full time home with a kid, it’s hard for every day not to feel the same. Sure, we have outings, but it can feel a bit like Groundhog Day, even with Christmas approaching.
So I consumed Christmas cookies, I was very happy to receive cards and gifts in the mail, I showed Sam how to open the windows of the advent calendar each day, and I made my own little pre-Christmas celebration with a friend locally because I skipped my office party.
And Christmas Day was lovely. We rugged up against the thick fog and went for a morning walk, then headed to the in-laws as usual where Sam got doted on, calmly fascinated by all that was happening. I got to open even more presents than usual because Sam hasn’t got that worked out yet, and I confess to putting him in a Christmas outfit and subjecting him to reindeer ears for a photo or ten because… well at the moment he’s too young to protest.
So yeah… it was different this year, but as I’ve heard, as Sam gets older it just gets more and more exciting, so I probably should just breathe and enjoy the calm.
an aussie in austria 