Emma What is a real Christmas?
With cheesy movies, twinkly lights and all, there’s the assumption that Christmas will be perfect. Everything will fall into place to make that one day the best of the year.
Snow will fall, dinner will be lengthy and (over)abundant, you’ll get the greatest present from your partner and everyone will get along….well that’s the image isn’t it?
What about the real image of Christmas? You’ve been running about from shop to shop, buying things for everyone – even people you don’t really like much, you’ve searched high and low for that perfect Christmas Day outfit to dazzle everyone, you feel guilty you ordered pre-prepared frozen stuff as you’ve no time to do anything else and that bottle of wine on the couch sounds a great idea. It’s a lot and it’s not perfect.
Bloggers have an online and offline life. I actually spend much of my time at home sleeping as I have M.E. I do things at my pace so that I don’t end up feeling stressed and ready to throttle the next person I see! This took a good few years to figure out and to realise that, yes it’s lovely to have the snow and the great meal but it can also be good to snuggle with a micro meal and some Netflix.
Life online is staged, no-one has that perfect life.
Take this photo of Fred, looks idyllic doesn’t it? To the left is my overloaded clothes horse…pushed out of the way, the tree lights at the top all went on the blink the other day so no full tree pic, everything that was on the coffee table is now under it and you don’t really want to see the rest of the living room…it’s a mess 🙁
It’s hard not to get out of the “what life should look like” expectation. And it’s easy for me to say go with the flow, enjoy the silly bits, it isn’t all about being perfect. Christmas dinner not de-frosted? Or burnt? Have a cry, get it out but believe me years later you’ll be laughing at it – did I tell you about the time my old cat pulled the whole turkey off the worktop? He had a great dinner while we ate the sides and some extra pudding instead!
If it does get too much reach out for help if you need it.
The Samaritans are free to call any time, from any phone on 116 123. It won’t show up on your phone bill in case you are worried.
They are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This number is FREE to call. You don’t have to be suicidal to call them, they are there for everyone.
You can email them as well:-
jo@samaritans.org
Or write to:-
Freepost RSRB-KKBY-CYJK, PO Box 9090, STIRLING, FK8 2SA
Need someone to talk things over with? Feeling isolated? Stressed? Give them a call on 116 123
Merry Christmas and hope you have a #realchristmas
xxxxx
