If you are sneaking off from general mayhem…hello.
If you are looking for a quiet corner for a few minutes – me too.
If you’ve been heralded as champion cook for the day – or (more likely) if people have looked up as you passed them plates of food, maybe smiled, certainly tucked in and have gone quiet…greetings.
I would pass you a cup of tea through the screen if I could.
Find your moment of quiet today. Whenever it comes, whatever form it takes. If you’ve had to lock yourself in the loo to get it, that’s fine too.
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A wise friend of ours gave us some advice when we were preparing to get married: every now and then, on the big day, pause. Take some mental snapshots.
It’s advice that’s worth extending to Christmas Days too.
See who is talking to whom. Who’s telling a joke – who’s laughing.
Even if it’s just you, still take a moment to look around. Notice the quality of light outside. Even if it’s grey. Remember how the sky looks at this time of the year.
Take in the reduction in traffic noises – or phone calls – or whatever is your usual background busyness.
Your peace may come when you’ve fed them all, cleared away all the debris of the day, and most people are in bed again. That’s OK. It will certainly be peace when it comes.
Goodwill to all men can be strained, some Christmas days. I’d be naive to suggest otherwise.
But agree to a pocket of peace, on earth, right where you are.
Even if it’s a long slow breath as the kettle boils. If it’s escaping outside for a moment.
Even if it’s waking in the night and realising, blissfully, that it may be early, but the kids are not yet awake.
When you have your own little area of peace staked out, it will help. It won’t guarantee the picture-perfect big day, but it will help.
And if you can add to that peace a moment of internal rest, awe, hush…even better.
Merry Christmas.