Tania Kettle

Well, here I am 4 days before Christmas, writing my Christmas blog.

And to be perfect honest, I seriously thought about not writing it.  No, really, I actually wondered if I could kind of gloss over it this year.  

Now don't give me that look, let me explain why:

I am going into my busiest time of the year.  

I deal with people who are suicidal, have the kind of loneliness that breaks your soul, have just been dumped, have major family issues, disappointments and let downs, financial hardship, embezzlement, addictions, infidelity and the list goes on.

And for the past 25 years I have said, Don't over spend, keep your expectations low, don't expect people to change and don't sweat the small stuff.  Christmas is not about money.  

Yet this is still my busiest time of the year, and I'm still dealing with the same issues.  

But I don't want you thinking I'm complaining, because I'm not.  I work with Spirit and this is the work I specialize in.  And that's cool.  However, I didn't feel like saying that this year would be different, because if you're making the same choices, it won't be.

No, really.  Same choices, same end result.

So, this year, instead of doing a repeat of what I have said before, I'm going to tell you what the young one and I are doing:

Pre-Christmas day - this is the week before - we catch up with friends that are valuable in our life.  We make time to have lunch, a relaxed coffee or late dinner and/or drinks.  And when we are with our people, all phones are banned. We don't answer phone calls, texts or do Facebook.  

We also make time for ourselves.  To be kind.  To celebrate our unique kind of coolness and walk with Spirit in silence.

We do less but participate more.

And we do not have a Christmas tree nor do we have tinsel.

However, we do buy a new outfit to wear on Christmas morning.  That means something cool that we like, rather than something that will sit in my wardrobe and never see daylight again.  For me that's another pair of jean shorts and a super cool, funky top.

We spend time with horses.

Then more time with horses.

And time with people we love and care about, and who love and care about us.

We leave biscuits and milk for Santa on Christmas Eve.

Have a lie in Christmas morning then feed out the horses, who then come and hang out with us on the deck.

We have Christmas lunch as a very late breakfast, but only with the things that we love. The young ones does an awesome sticky ham on the bone and I love pavlova and of course, there are all the extra little trimmings.  But you won't find any stodgy Christmas puddings here, baby.

Present (2) opening time, which are always experiences or have a particular special/funny memory.  All emails, Facebook etc are banned so far.

We hang out, laugh, spend time with horses, then text people that we're not seeing but want to say, Merry Christmas! to.  Have a relax in the sun, sometimes just hanging out, sometimes talking and then head off in different directions.  This year, I'm walking down the road for a late lunch and more horses and the young one's heading to the beach.

That's us.

Our Christmas day is awesome and I truly, truly wish you the same.  No matter who you are, what your religious belief is, what colour your skin is, what your financial status is or who you love.  

I just wish you all the good things that it is possible to have.

Wishing you much love and abundance and a truly courageous heart.

T and Spirit

xx