The ideas and opinions expressed here are those of a funky Canadian chick whose first language is French. We cannot be held accountable for her cool outlook on life nor any spelling mistakes and creative phrasing she may come up with...
Only 2 days before Christmas and still so much to do!
Or maybe not.
Ok, easy to say, I am not hosting this year. But I am pretty sure I would be surfing the same wave as Ms.Cool if I were. Why? Well, a tiny bit because I am more experienced and organized with planning events nowadays, but mostly because I do not really care anymore if everything is perfect. Or rather, my idea of perfection has changed.
Who cares if the house is beautiful with fragrant bread in the oven if you open the door to your guests with a heart pounding out of fear and stress?
Who cares if you have a gift for everyone if most of them have been bought thoughtlessly only for the sake of not coming empty handed? You will have most likely wasted your money on something that will end up never being used. Speaking out of experience from both the receiver and the giver sides here...
If Christmas is all about children, then we can take a few hints at how they see things to help us steer our focus on the right stuff.
Do you remember as a child how you would barely notice Grandma's wrinkles when she smiles, but you would be scared to death by Uncle Joe's stare when you touched the Christmas tree? Should I mention how freakin' blind you were to dust, stains on the tablecloth and mismatching cutlery?
Of course, you would have appreciated a beautifully decorated table and nicely wrapped gifts, but a nice giggle over a burned and ugly cake could have been just as heart warming... and still can be!
And as much as I love gifts, I am also a big big fan of giving them all through the year, when you find the right thing for the right person, or just because!
So, here I am now, heading to our friends for Christmas. Half of my luggage is a bag of dirty laundry that I plan to wash once at theirs. We will probably arrive late. I do not have a gift for everyone although I also brought my camera, so this will be my main contribution this year - portraits - a gift that the children will appreciate later on! But god, am I so happy to see those lovely faces! There will be laughter, there will be yelling, (4 adults, 6 kids, 2 dogs, 1 rabbit, 2 birds and a mouse), but there will also be lots of yummy food - or at least some - and lots of jolly chaos to be remembered for life!!
So I will not keep you longer because you probably have a lot to do - be it preparation or simply celebrating.
Have a merry Christmas and holiday season! And be joyful - not a bitch!! :)
See you in 2017 with many fun and exciting surprises!!!
And for your eyes' enjoyment, have a look at that beautiful cake below. I made it last year, in January. I've made many nicer ones - obviously - but this one remains my favorite :)
