Currently, the boyfriend and I are in discussions over what to do with Christmas this year. Everyone starts to consider their options in September, because the festive season creeps up before you know it.
Although Christmas is a wonderful time, it’s also a time where you get put under a lot of pressure. Family politics come into play, and although you want to make everyone else happy, sometimes you just gotta do what you wana do.
This year, we are considering going abroad, and taking our huskies with us. The rough plan is to head to Nuremberg (which is supposed to have spectacular Christmas markets) and then on to Salzburg in Austria. I imagine staying in a cosy little cabin, and sitting by the fireplace with the dogs curled up next to us, drinking mulled wine.
I want to spend Christmas in a city that oozes Christmas atmosphere, and wander round the snow dusted Christmas markets. Despite my excitement for this trip, I feel a whole myriad of emotions, and maybe a little scared. I’m scared to break the mould and do something entirely different, and I don’t know how I’m going to feel.
My mum has made every single Christmas beyond special, she literally puts her heart and soul into it, and even in our late twenties, we still get excited about presents! Mum knows just what to get everyone, and does Christmas with all the trimmings. Despite all this, Christmas will always be a painful time for me.
Late November, a solemn feeling creeps into my body, and it builds to a climax throughout December. Why? Because my father passed away on the 28th of December. Christmas is bitter-sweet for me. On the one hand, it was the last special time I spent with my dad, and on the other hand, the aftermath was the most traumatic time of my life. Hello mixed feelings.
The thought of getting away from it all and experiencing Christmas from a completely new perspective has appealed to me for a while, but it just seems like such a daunting prospect.
What would Christmas be without the warmth of family and being in your own home, sat by the Christmas tree? I know it won’t be the same, but that’s OK. It’s alright to have a break from tradition once in a lifetime. Plus, if I never did it, I would feel like I missed out on the chance to do something out of the ordinary.
We don’t get many white Christmases here. My dad used to go mad for snow, he absolutely loved it. So whenever it snows I feel a connection to him, and remember the times when we used to build snowmen in the garden and have good old fashion fun outdoors with our dad.
I may have initially thought that going abroad would take me away from my dad, but what if it makes me feel closer? Perhaps being in a beautiful, uber Christmassy fairytale environment filled with speckles of snow will make me feel as though his spirit is with me.
Separately from all the complications associated with Christmas, which involves the past, is the hope I feel for the future. My boyfriend is my future, and I want to do something with him that we will always remember.
With everything we have planned for the next few years, we may not be able to go abroad again for Christmas. It kind of feels like now or never. We might disappoint a few family members, but deep down they only want the best for us. I’m sort of hoping my little sister might come out and join us for Christmas day, as that would be awesome, but we shall see.
Nothing is booked yet, so it’s not 100% certain that we will go, but I really, really want this to happen. Fingers crossed everything works out and we are able to have the Christmas of our dreams. There’s just a few things to consider beforehand. Watch this space.
