Earlier this year I wrote about the fact that Christmas isn’t actually a holiday, not really, and especially not if you have young kids. Or any kind of dependents. Kids don’t stop being kids just because it’s the most wonderful time of the year. Toddlers don’t give a shit if your usual pre-kids Christmas routine was waking up at 10am, opening the “main” present, having Buck’s Fizz in bed and then watching Home Alone three times before maybe drinking more Buck’s Fizz in the bath and then merrily doing all the wrong things to the turkey.
(Do I brine it? Bernard! Which method are we doing? BERNARD! Stop messing with that bloody thermostat and read me the instructions – are we doing Nigella or Jamie? Brine or bacon?)
Even if you don’t have dependents Christmas isn’t much of a rest; you spend the few days between finishing work and Christmas Day trying to buy all of the tat for people that you haven’t bought throughout December (though it’s all on sale by then so that’s good – it’s to make up for the stratospheric stress levels that last-minute shopping bring on) and then you have to read up about which turkey-prep method you need to plump for. That’s if you’re staying at home – chances are you’ve got to do the “Grand Tour” and sleep on five different couches as you travel around the country visiting all of the friends and family members who won’t travel because they have dependents.
Anyway, it is a wonderful time of year, if you’re lucky enough (sadly, for many people it’s abysmal) and for me, having kids has brought Christmas back to life somewhat. I feel as though I see the magic in it again – the lights, the excitement, the cold walks, the jazzy music, the films – and I want to fully appreciate it and not see it as a stress.
So this year I am going to try and at least have one type of rest – a work rest! I’m deleting all of my social media apps from my iPhone so that I can’t look at them, post on them or otherwise engage with them. I’m not deleting the accounts – that would be stupid, given my job – I’m just pressing pause until January.
And (boo hoo) this will be my last post for a couple of weeks here, too, though please be filled with joy at the fact that I have loads of brilliant things lined up for you in January. I’m itching to edit them but mustn’t – if I do start editing, I won’t be able to tie up my last bits of admin and then I’ll be doing that on Monday 23rd and my whole “no work” plan will be made a mockery of. No plan likes to be mocked.
So, farewell for now my festive friends: wishing you an absolute blinder of a Christmas with minimal familial fallout and lots of brined/bacon’d turkey. (Which method do you do? I didn’t brine or bacon last year and it tasted just the same as any other year. I’m sure it’s all a nonsense. Thoughts below.)
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and – as always – a heartfelt thanks to all of you for reading, commenting and messaging. I appreciate each and every one!
Happy Holidays and a great start to 2020, Ruth!
Have a fabulously festive and fun Christmas holiday Ruth! Enjoy your time with your family and I look forward to reading all your social media posts in 2020! (Good to know you didn’t delete!!)
Merry Christmas Ruth, and thank you for giving me an idea….remove social media apps for the next week or so. I love your musings, funny, but so heartfelt. And you keep them real. You and your family are just lovely and I wish you all the best for 2020. xo’s
You have a very Merry Christmas as well, enjoy your time off adults with kids don’t have time off. I put bacon on the turkey and also inject it with butter and brandy then it’s very Merry indeed……
Happy Christmas. I slather my turkey with a whole pack of butter before covering with bacon and tinfoil, if I remember to baste part way through all the better. x
Have a happy Christmas and lovely new year Ruth; looking forward to lots more fun posts in 2020. Lisa xx
Dear Ruth,
I hope you have a wonderful break! I look forward to seeing your exciting January plans, but I don’t want to see a stitch of work out of you until then! ;)
Hello Ruth, wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a bright and wonderful 2020 x
Good decision. We should all do the same. Also, you’re right. Christmas is exhausting for mothers. Merry Christmas.
Ruth
I cooked my turkey in the bottom oven of the AGA. Coveres it with tin foil for 8 hours and put in the top oven to colour it. Twas very nice, very nice.
Happy Christmas and new year,
Happy holidays Ruth! Thank you for your amazing witty and funny articles. It’s a pleasure to read them! You always manage to make me laugh. (I still hope you’ll write a book someday… ;)) xx
Happy Christmas Ruth. Thanks for all the great posts and laughs over the last year. Hope you and yours have a lovely, relaxing/exciting time.
Happy Holidays, Ruth!!!! Have fun with the babies. We will want to now what you got for Christmas.
Noted! : )
Wishing you and yours a wonderful Christmas and New year as stress free as possible and look forward to your return. Thanks for another year of laughter, smiles and tears and for just being you. x
Thank you, have a lovely time too xx