We all have our personal or family Christmas traditions.
Things we love to do each year, whether it’s visiting certain relatives, putting up the tree on a specific date (mine never goes up before December 15th), doing ‘The Big Shop’ with a partner (or preferring to tackle it alone – on balance, often less hassle!) or hosting ‘The Big Day’ say every three years, perhaps taking turns with other family members.
Christmas is also associated with lots of generic traditions – ones we all enjoy, such as decorating the tree, eating mince pies, welcoming Santa into our homes (albeit via an unusual entrance!) giving gifts, singing carols, kisses under the mistletoe; I could go on and on…
And Christmas itself is a tradition. One which brings joy and – hopefully – some peace. It’s a religious festival that encourages everyone – religious or not – to join in, have a good time, and be mindful of others. It often succeeds in bringing out the best in us, as we are inspired to come together in our communities to celebrate and be thankful for what we have, and to give to those who are less fortunate.
Tradition brings us comfort in the familiar, the repetition of regularity, marking out a pathway for us to follow through time. It’s good to look back on Christmases gone by, and it’s likely that many people will be doing so this Christmas. We know this can bring sorrow as well as joy, as we miss those who are no longer here to celebrate. Christmas is a time when the ones we miss, are often missed the most.
I wonder though, if tradition can sometimes be the accidental thief of invention? As Christmas approaches, do we step into automatic mode – and therefore lose our sense of creativity?
As we prepare to repeat what we do every year, I wonder if we can make room for a little bit of outside-the-box thinking. Don’t get me wrong – I know lots of people already get creative at Christmas. But are you one of them?
Making your own Christmas cards is wonderful and admirable, and certainly one way to do it. Many of us have an artistic temperament that tends to get stifled by the busy-ness of our everyday lives. Christmas could be a perfect opportunity to express that talent, and making cards, gift tags and decorations is certainly the perfect outlet. Or how about bringing nature indoors by creating a festive arrangement of the seasons fauna and beautiful red berries.
But I’m not just talking about the obvious. There are other creative journeys that we can embrace at this time of year. I’m no cook, and therefore no host, but I think I’m going to have a little gathering at my house to celebrate the wonderful women friends in my life. The thought of stepping outside my boundaries excites me. I haven’t invited anyone yet, but let this journal be my commitment to seeing this promise through to fruition before the end of 2024!
Getting creative doesn’t have to involve others. Even something as personal as finding new ways to bring self-care into your life, qualifies as creative thinking. Christmastime is an excuse to do just that (not that an excuse is needed!) with natural, evocative scents, British home fragrance and aromas. Bath House has an array of fragrance gift sets – perfumes, soy candles, sustainable skincare and bathing tonics to treat yourself and your home to something special.
And what about your usual Christmas activities? Will you be visiting Pantoland? Going out for office drinks? Taking in a Christmas film? There is so much to do at this time of year, so many special promotions and organised events. I fancy something different this Christmas: a bit of seasonal ice skating. My daughter has said she will join me. It’s something I’ve not done since before having children more than 20 years ago.
But who knows – perhaps this creative outlet (‘creative’ because it’s a new idea for me) will eventually build into a wonderful Christmas tradition that began in the year 2024!
Happy holidays, everyone.
