A different way to spend Christmas

For the last few years my Christmas day has been pretty much the same, it has been good, don't get me wrong but just quite predictable. Probably similar to many other families with young kids all over Britain  I'll walk you through the day - we have been gotten up early by the kids as they are super excited, we all go downstairs and have breakfast. Normally dh cooks and we have pancakes, bacon and scrambled eggs with fresh orange - delicious!  Then comes the present unwrapping and far too many presents are generally received by each child.  Once they have a mountain and we have bin bags full of wrapping paper it is time to head off to Church for a short service and a reminder that this day is not about commercialism.

Once home from Church we have a light lunch and the kids play with their toys, make crafts and generally act very merry.  Our traditional Christmas dinner is normally late afternoon and we all enjoy some TV or a board game together.  I do really enjoy spending Christmas with my closest family but this year will be different and that's a good thing,

JJ and I, Christmas Breakfast 2010

The Church that our family now attends is really interested in being part of our local community and reaching out to those who need a friend. This Christmas day a local centre will open to give Christmas lunch to some vulnerable local people and 'll be really pleased to give up a few hours from my day to serve.  Not only does this get me out of the turkey cooking it means that my children have to realise just how fortunate they are and that they need to share Mummy.

I know some parents will be gobsmacked at my decision and will say that at five my twins are too young to be without their Mum on Christmas day but let's not overreact.  It is just one year and we are talking a maximum of 3 hours and they will have their superdad here with them.  I will be here in the morning for the present opening and our family breakfast, that has become a tradition but while they play or watch a movie I'll be out and back in time to enjoy our sit down family dinner together.  I'm sure I'll enjoy it even more for the fact that dh will have cooked it all and he is a far better cook than I am.  Then we have all the other days off over Christmas to enjoy together and to invite our wider family over.

No, this for me is the right thing to do. Christmas day should be able to be enjoyed by everyone and if you have some people who have no family or not enough money to enjoy some festive food then that is not right and if a small sacrifice I can make will help then so be it.  Roll on Christmas, not long now!