My nickname at home around this time of year is “The Grinch”, Grinch of Greenwich.
I’m not Grinchy. I just like Christmas a certain way and that’s stylish. I hate tacky decorations, and I don’t care much for Lametta. I like things just so and if that makes me a colour coordinated control freak than so be it.
Yes, I readjust the tree after the kids have “decorated it” Yes I prefer real snow the fake spray kind and usually the tree goes up 10 days before and comes down 10 days after.
I suppose what makes me really sad though is the commercialisation of it all – I spotted my first Christmas Pudding on October 15th alone with St Nick on a fizzy drink. And that’s what I think the issue is. I love Christmas, the winter, the snuggling. Writing out our cards and using the conkers and pine cones from our park excursions in our decorations.
I don’t love Christmas when its thrown at me in October playing on urges to consume and other irrational fears…to me, this is just lazy marketing.
What I do like though is seeing exciting and relevant things for my family, like events and craft markets where I can support local artisan makers and bakers. Like the recent Greenwich Lantern parade (We carried the donkey btw) wreath making classes and enchanting Grottos for all the family.
I know that some people just might not care, or conversely love Christmas so much that they embrace Christmas Puddings in October! And that’s ok too.
This year we will all be going to Church on Christmas day – I’m insisting (the lapsed Catholic that I am), and I want my kids to make one handmade gift this year for a particular person in their lives. I’m excluding our Toddler for this, as he’s the gift that keeps on giving.
This morning I cried at the John Lewis/Elton John advert. If I were a real Grinch, this would never have happened.
Diary of is a regular blog, by a regular Greenwich mum. Sharing experiences as a local parent (and member of this website) she’ll be writing about everything and anything. And being completely anonymous – you never know – you could have stood next to her in the Post Office or behind her in Cafe W…
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