With two days to go until the big day, Cathryn Antoniadis reminds us of two things we may have overlooked.
1. Presents
It sounds pretty obvious; buying presents for everyone at Christmas is a recognised cultural tradition. But how many times so far have you bought something and wondered whether the person would actually like it or use it? Perhaps it’s worth considering another form of ‘present’. Jan Gonder, a reader from Readers Digest, suggested the idea of giving coupons based on the giver’s time and talents. For example, offering a coupon to do the person’s washing up for a week, helping with someone’s course or their daily chores. This ‘coupon-style’ present is an interesting take on a significant part of Christmas.
2. The Ghost of Christmas Past
At Christmas it’s always easy to get caught up in the presents, the amazing food, the classic Christmas films on TV and taking photos of that family member who has had one too many glasses of mulled wine. In our enjoyment of the present, we forget to reflect on where the year has taken us since the last Christmas. Sometimes it’s important for us to take a step back and ask ourselves what the year has brought us, as individuals and as a family. Christmas, a day of relaxation and celebration, is one of the best days to do this and to get us ready for the new year ahead.
Cathryn Antoniadis
