Merry Christmas!
Christmas is my favourite time of year, I love everything about it from the songs, and decorations to the shopping and frustration that comes with it. However, this year will be different, and I don’t think I am alone when I say – it just doesn’t feel like Christmas.
After everything we have been through this year, or everything we haven’t been able to do, it feels odd that Christmas is tomorrow. Christmas is a time when we catch up with family that we haven’t seen all year, but this year what will we talk about? It’s been a year that has changed our lives tenfold and we just never imagined something like this could have happened.
This year we fled the city in favour of home offices and masks became the new must-have accessory, toilet paper was hot property, and the post office was inundated with everyone’s online shopping orders (being mostly loungewear).
In Victoria, we have spent most of the year in a hard lockdown. We were separated from loved ones, unable to travel, mental health deteriorated, and a lot of people lost their jobs. I am so grateful that I have been able to continue working in some capacity when so many people couldn’t. We have been lucky in Australia compared to other countries, but whilst things have opened up again, we just don’t know if another lockdown may happen.
Tomorrow, we will be having lunch and dinner with family, although smaller gatherings than usual. My family has also decided that we are not giving presents this year (apart from the kids), so that is yet another factor included in the odd feeling in the air.
It has been a hard year, so I hope that everyone can find even a small amount of joy and happiness. I am going to make myself take some time to relax and just enjoy the day (and read some Christmas books)!
I hope everyone has a lovely and safe Christmas and holiday season.
Megan H Lewis 