The Seasonal Rollercoaster

~ beetleypete

All the presents were bought and wrapped long before the end of November. Though we send few cards now, they are written, ready for posting.

The restaurant is booked for the 25th, and the relaxation of the restrictions means we will actually be able to go.

Ollie’s gifts are also bought and wrapped. Three new soft toys.

Because the 25th is a Friday this year, the following Monday will be a holiday. That extends the ‘celebrations’ by an extra day.

Next Wednesday, I have to get the tree and decorations down from the loft. So by the 12th, it will be sitting decorated in its usual place at the back corner of the living room.

Despite obvious differences because of the Coronavirus, that sense of seasonal deja-vu is well and truly consuming me.

The rollercoaster has started, and I am already on board. So far, it has only started its climb to the first big drop.

Roll on the 27th!

55 thoughts on “The Seasonal Rollercoaster”

  3. I am glad that you let Julie enjoy the season. We are being extremely low key this year. We haven’t bought gifts because we usually do that on our vacations when we visit galleries and craft fairs. No vacation this year meant no shopping. Charlie is going to string the outside lights and we bought a lovely wreath from the produce market down the road. No tree since we like to cut it with the grandkids who still have to be distanced from us.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  4. My mother and I had been going out for the Christmas meal these last few years, and don’t do any/much decorating, and we don’t get any visitors and don’t care much for it (my Dad died in mid-January and became quite unwell on the 26th, so the whole season doesn’t bring good memories, and I didn’t like it even before that), but this year we don’t know what’s likely to happen, as although the restrictions had started lifting, everything is on pause now as numbers are going back up again. My cousin might come at some point, but as he lives outside of Barcelona now, it might depend on the restrictions. I’m sure we’ll find something to do. I can’t wait to see the end of 2020, but not sure 2021 will be much better. Enjoy (for lack of a better word) the decaffeinated season, Pete, and stay well.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  8. I never started anything to do with Christmas until after my son’s birthday on the 5th December. Nowadays we just send money for the grandchildren, and a donation to a local charity in lieu of Christmas cards. Since moving here we tend to spend the time alone as I hate driving in winter. I have some lights wrapped around the banisters which are turned on now, just for the winter solstice and we’ll probably just have a chicken dinner on the day. I’ve said no pressies this year for us, but something for the house instead. I’m done with Christmas.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. Christmas is nice when children are young, and if you can get together with family. No harm if it makes Julie happy, but personally I am glad that we don’t have to bother with all that fuss.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  11. Awe Pete, it’s magical, the long dark days, the waiting patiently for the light, love, joy that resides just across the horizon. I know you don’t have a faith tradition but you know warmer weather and more sun is coming which is hopeful. It’s like the darkness is a gift in a way that teaches us to value the light. C

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  13. I enjoy the preparation of all my home made Christmas presents, Pete, and also making food for the day. I also like Christmas music a few days beforehand and seeing my family and all the children. I do not enjoy the consumerism that accompanies, Christmas. It is very low key here this year. There are very few Christmas decorations up and no Christmas music at all. In some ways though, this is worse as it highlights the post C-19 economic catastrophe South Africa is going through.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. In many respects, it is ‘Christmas as usual’ here. The local houses and town centres have lots of lights and decorations on show, and there are ‘pre-Christmas’ sales in the shops. But I suspect that behind all that is still a worry about how 2021 is going to turn out.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 3 people

      Reply

  16. Pete, we put up our tree the day after Thanksgiving…with all that is going on, we needed something bright, shiny and comforting! Just entered a three week lockdown here in Los Angeles…will be digging into my film collection for sure! Happy holidays to you!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  17. We are quite minimalist, I put a tree up but nothing else just because I like the twinkles, though this year might regret that as we are having Sophie’s cats visit for a month and Winnie does like to climb! We don’t do presents, Phil’s kids get their own kids loads of stuff so he just gives them money to help out, and I send Ben whatever car parts he needs this year 🤣 and my grandson chooses something I can send through Amazon/eBay as I won’t get to see them. Phil is working Christmas Day morning, so I’ll cook a nice dinner for when he gets home, which will be a Sunday lunch but with added Brussels sprouts! Just the 2 of us, the way we like it 😊.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  18. Presents were opened this morning by the kids, as is the tradition in Poland, this was after a celebration at school, on Friday and again at grannies yesterday. I will be eating chocolate discarded by children for the coming month 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  19. We go all out decorating for one reason. It brings us joy. In recent years we have put much less focus on presents and more on family and that has helped. This year there will be little of either. I love the season. I have since I was a child.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I haven’t really felt all that since I started doing shift work in 1980. It just became another day, and having to work on it or around it made it all more stressful and rushed. Even though I haven’t worked since 2012, I can’t shake that feeling.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  21. Sadly, I have become more like everyone else. We used to provide a spread for the family on Christmas Eve. Lots of money spent (we had it then) and all the kids and other family would gather and dine. Then as they got older, they had other plans with the significant other’s family.

    I agree with the presents all wrapped and forgotten by Christmas morn. I would just rather go somewhere and hide till it’s all over. Everyone feels “they have” to get something for everyone. Even though there is no money for doing that. The spirit is gone, and buying and giving is all that is left.

    I need a time machine.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  22. I hope you enjoy whatever it is you will do over the ‘festive’ season, Pete. For myself, I don’t bother to trim up, but I do like to spend time with my daughters when I can, and our present buying has been scaled back significantly. The solstice is more important for me, because it is the harbinger of longer days and, eventually, better weather. Cheers, Jon.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  23. How un-magical it all is! My presents are all wrapped and forgotten about by the end of October. The tree is up and decorated (what a stupid idea it is to put a tree in your front room!) because my daughters-in-law tell me off if I go minimalist. I’ve got to cook a dinner for 6 on Christmas Day, and another dinner for 6 on Boxing Day. All I want to do is go to my caravan until it’s all over, but I can’t…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. You sound a lot like me, Stevie. My wife loves it all though! Fortunately, our days of cooking for 8-10 people are gone now, as all my step-children prefer to do their own thing over Christmas.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

        1. I do it to keep others happy. Between marriages when I lived alone, I did nothing to celebrate it. But I still had to go to my mum’s for dinner every 25th, because she ‘expected’ that.
          Best wishes, Pete.

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply

All comments welcome

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.