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That time of year…
Christmas is fast approaching, and yes, it really is that time of year. The time when store fronts bedeck themselves with cheery lights, and you see a snowman glowing on the side of an office.
When houses shine with ‘Santa stop here’ signs, and the local shopping centre is filled with the sound of Jingle Bells, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and Silent Night,
when the tree goes up and the party spread comes out. That time of year that everyone waits for all year long.
It is now close enough to have made Christmas wish lists, and be hinting and hoping for that long-wanted item. And yes, also close enough to be hunting through the shops,
looking for that perfect gift for Aunt May, or Uncle Reg. Also, one can safely expect to encounter cheery carollers trilling away somewhere during your journey.
The town Christmas tree is up and the parties are being talked about! I don’t know about you, but I can hardly wait!
It is also the time of year to be making home-made truffles ready for the holiday season. Trays of delicious fudge are in progress, and the old Christmas pudding recipe has been rescued from its
dusty solitude from the back of the cupboard. Batches of sweet-smelling Christmas biscuits are ready for the oven, and don’t even get me started on those lovely little pies that are for some reason called Mince Pies.
That’s another reason to love Christmas.
Plus, it is the time of year when the school orchestra are in rush rehearsals, and you can hear the choir’s high pitched carols down the hallway, when the classrooms are filled with paper chains and odd glittery lanterns.
The caretakers grumble about the muddy floors, and the long corridors are freezing cold. And of course, inevitably, the heating breaks down. Ah yes, a school Christmas.
The Christmas holidays are wished and yearned for- an escape from the icy rooms. Then again, the lessons take on a seasonal twist, acting out a few plays perhaps, or playing games at best.
In maths, as anticipated, the co-ordinate Christmas pictures make a thousandth appearance. At least it’s better than algebraic equations!
I have mentioned the town Christmas tree, but now onto my own. It just has to be said here, there is one British Christmas tradition that I can’t completely understand.
Trimming the tree has, since eternity, (or at least in Britain) always taken place on Christmas Eve, or perhaps by daring and modern families, on the 20th December.
Why I ask you? In our family, the tree goes up without fail on the first weekend in December. In the morning, my Dad clambers up the loft, and hands down our magnificent artificial tree piece by piece, then come the boxes of decorations, the lights,
and then the outdoor lights. We spend the morning constructing the tree, and hanging decorations, and then decorate the house in the afternoon. We then have the whole of December to enjoy it.
So why on Earth would anyone wait until the last few days of December? To me, this makes no sense!
Why an artificial tree you ask? It is simply because I do not want to send my tree (along with another 8 million) to the tip every Christmas.
A real tree is great, but it is such a waste to throw them all away with the 83 square kilometres of wrapping paper, or the extra 500 million drinks cans.
Why not plant your tree in the garden until next year instead? It will grow even bigger, and save you money!
And another thing, the traditional British family does not open presents until the afternoon! We open ours as soon as we finish breakfast.
As I say- why wait? If you open them in the morning, then you can enjoy them throughout the day, and not just for the few hours before bed.
Does that not make more sense? Of course it does.
Honestly, sometimes people make up the silliest traditions!
Just a quick note about Christmas carols. Much as I love Rudolph, We Three Kings, and Frosty, my all-time favourite has got to be a relatively unknown carol.
Have any of you heard “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer”? It is superb! It is just so funny you would not believe!
I found it on an internet site inadvertently last year. I was humming it all season, and so where my family! You should definitely look it up on the web!
And so I must regretfully come to a close, but remember ‘Christmas comes but once a year’ (to quote) so enjoy it (and persuade your parents to put the tree up earlier, and open presents in the morning!)!!!
By Cassie Anne Griffin
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