What a crazy end to the year! As I type this, I’m surrounded by boxes all labelled (one with ‘bord games’ written on it), and ready to move. CB has gone to get the farm truck, so we can put the boxes on the back and drive them up the road to the house we will be living in for the next few months while our farm house gets it’s long awaited renovation and extension. I remember when we moved here five years ago, I vowed to never again move house in December. So much for vows!
I’ve put on the Christmas carols in an attempt to convince myself and the kids that packing is a “Christmas activity”. They’re not falling for it, but they are getting in and helping anyway because they are great kids.
Christmas is rarely like the ads on television; the perfectly decorated house; the happy family smiling as the perfectly coifed mum carries out a perfectly glazed ham; the smiling perfect children in coordinating red and white outfits; the artistic tablescape. Well at least, that’s not what it looks like at our house.
Despite the lack of perfection, our messy half packed up home, and my definitely uncoifed hair, we will be celebrating Christmas here on the farm. We will read the kids the story of the first Christmas from the bible, and be in church on Christmas morning to celebrate the birth of our saviour. Perhaps, our unstylish, messy Christmas will remind us that Jesus was born in an unstylish, messy stable, to save a messy world. I hope so.
Where ever, and however, you spend Christmas this year, I hope you find joy in amongst the messiness.
