Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year as it is for most but something I have become really passionate about is giving back at Christmas to those who are disadvantaged, lonely or just need a some visitors. This may be around Christmas, on the run up to Christmas or on Christmas and this year we visited a care home on Christmas day, we dressed the littles up as elves and went to wish the residents a merry Christmas.
I have to be careful what I say due to not wanting to get into trouble or disclose to much information surrounding residents, care home names or my current job (if you don't know I have gone back to work in a care home) but I have a family member who is a Manager of a care home and we visited with them on Christmas day and Lucas was just amazing, he is genuinely so lovely and so caring and has a complete heart of gold. He didn't mind taking an hour or so out of his Christmas day to go and say "Merry Christmas" to the residents and he didn't mind giving them hugs and he'll never know the gratitude they would have felt or seen their huge grins. It also made me feel like I had done something really special - a good deed, as such.
It's something we'll do more often be it Christmas eve, Christmas day or Boxing day or as they get older possibly earlier. I can't always promise they'll be elves, I mean I think when Lucas is 13 he's probably going to tell me to, get lost if I attempt to put him in an elf costume but we're raising our kids to be selfless and with Brad and I both working in the care industry I think they'll both naturally be really caring and kind anyway.
Christmas day always goes so fast and speeds by so quickly. So much food, so much laughter and just a wonderful time being with family and then before you know it, it's Boxing day.
Boxing day has always been at my Nan's but this year we went to my Mum's boxing day so the boxing day tradition had to be changed a little.
Basically, every year a "boxing day fairy" brings a christmas gift bag of presents to my Nan's and this year she delivered them to our house. The boxing day fairy usually brings toiletries, crafty bits and chocolate coins. It's not a crazy expensive bag of goodies but it's a bag of thoughtful and lovely little goodies - the boxing day fairy knows us really well and we're super grateful for her.
It's the nicest little tradition and something I know will carry on for years and years and years. I know i'm gonna make sure the boxing day fairy brings my grandkids and great grandkids a bag on boxing day too.
My children are very lucky, they have 4 sets of grandparents, 3 great grandparents, uncles, aunties, great uncles and aunties, great great uncles and aunties and up until half a year ago a great great grandparent too. They have a huge family and they do have a lot and get a lot but we try so hard to make sure they're humble, grateful and not spoilt brats either; it's really important to us.
Christmas 2017 was lovely, lots of lovely food, lovely gifts, family time and the only negative was it went by so quickly. We're so grateful for all our lovely presents, for all four of ours, people are always so generous and kind but most of all the lovely company and memories that were made.
Financially I am glad it's not Christmas everyday but I wish it was too, just for the family time.
