Christmas around the world 9

Christmas at home with the Brit

It is time for me to invite you into my home for a UK Christmas - brit style. This year, Christmas celebrations started earlier than usual. I was able to do something that reminds me of my sister and father who died a number of years ago around Christmas time. Two days ago I was able to play Santa Claus at a local children's nursery, giving presents to around 50 children. It reminded me of two of the best Christmas times ever.

1967

My family (all 7 of us) lived in a large detached house in the Kent countryside. It was nearing Christmas. On the second Saturday in December my parents were busy cooking, mostly sweet items, for what seemed like the 5,000 and all of us kids were tasked with wrapping up 20 or so toys, each one with a gift tag and a name unknown to us. At two o'clock in the afternoon, a minibus pulled up in the driveway and unloaded what seemed like a never-ending stream of children, some shy, some loud and shouting, some looking puzzled. They were shepherded into the house, we were asked to organise games, and fun things to do until, while the parents and minders organised the tea area. By the end of the afternoon, the house looked like a bomb had hit it. We sat them all down for tea with siblings and me acting as waiters. Every child just dug in and it was not long before the table was just a mess of cake, jelly, ice cream and Christmas cake.

After tea, all the kids gathered in the large lounge and my father picked up a small quiet African lad and sat him on his knee. Then he told them a story of Christmas, one that he had made up especially for the day.

What we did not find out until later was that he had been to a local Children's home and arranged this some weeks earlier. It was one of the most magical Christmases of my life.

1984

My sister died on the 20th December. All looked bleak for Christmas day. In some ways it was. However, as for every time of darkness there is some light, it had its good points. By this time, all of the family members had left home, were married and had their families to spend Christmas with. However, that Christmas day every son, (6 in all) was encouraged by their partners to join our mother on our own for Christmas dinner (and we did the cooking!) and rejoin them later in the day.

We spent four hours together as a family for the first time in over a decade. Those four hours saw some tears, but also saw a great number of smiles as we talked and laughed about Christmas times we spent with our sister and father. It was literally, one of the most memorable Christmases of my life.

What these two Christmases have proved to me is that every Christmas is different and every one has its unique and special times. Christmas is not all about commercial things, it is about giving and the greatest gift is love. I try to wrap that up every year and give it to those close to me.

I hope that you all have a special and unique Christmas this year.

the Brit