Christmas - for some a Wonderful Time of the Year.I

It is a wonderful time of the year - words similar to a Christmas song - Andy Williams gained fame for singing "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year".  I do love the song and many other Christmas songs.

I love Christmas hymns too - and shall be watching "Songs of Praise" today on ABC television.  It is something I always do if I am home each Sunday at 11.30 am.

Christmas can be a most wonderful time.  Last year it was not a good Christmas Day for me as I was very ill with food poisoning - home alone and struggling.  Clearly I survived.

This year I spent Christmas Eve with some friends - friends from a long time ago.  My friend's daughter, now with four children of her own including a nearly 20 year old, was our babysitter many year ago.  My daughter is 47 now.  So it has been a long friendship with the family!

I then went to my daughter's place - and on Christmas Day I was there when the grandchildren awoke to see what Santa had brought them!


We did have a wonderful day - a lot of fun, good food and good company.  I do think though of those people for whom Christmas is not a happy time.  I think of the families whose loved ones passed away recently - or are suffering in some way and there are clearly many things that cause suffering, from health, to situations that I can only imagine.  I hear there are great "orphans" events these days - where people who have no family to spend time with at Christmas come together for a special event.

I was mindful that it was the first Christmas without my mother who passed away in June this year. And strangely when I returned home on Boxing Day and went into my fern house to check out on my plants, I saw that my "Joyce Orchid" was in flower.  I call it Joyce because I bought it just after my mother died.  I think of her often, especially when the orchid is flowering.


I love the celebrations, the food, the fun - but am somewhat perplexed about the "spend, spend, spend" that comes with this season.  I find it difficult to buy for family - they seem to have everything that I can afford.  They have so much that duplication is always a risk.  I know it is a challenge that many seniors find difficult.

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