Christmas Day

There are two days of the year that exist outside the normal rules of general life and Christmas day is one of them. Advent is a season of preparation and this is what we have prepared for. If you have children it starts early, always early, less than five hours sleep in this case. Wonderful! I love the stumbling struggling start with children's excitement screaming like hyperactive bees all about. It just reminds me that this day is special.
Breakfast, darkness outside a couple of presents, still no drop in excitement. Church is at ten and this is one of the two days in the years when I must be in a church if I can. But this is not boring stiff regular Sunday worship, this is a birthday celebration, all be it a Church of England party. All the rules bend and all the faces smile because this is a triumphant day. Handshakes are common currency coupled with "Merry Christmas". It lasts but a moment in reality and is more of a family gathering than an official service.
Relatives. Christmas is nothing if you don't share it with someone. My wife prepares a feast of sumptuous food which is a delight to devour. My wife is a clever cook and always excels at Christmas. Feeling full and grateful for it, with sweets and drinks it is great to relax and exchange chat. This is the moment, the moment when we climb into the elemental Christmas experience of coming together abandoning barriers. We are just people together enjoying one anther's' company in mutual love.
Love is what this day is all about. A love that transcends barriers and complex relations to display the love that a creative all embracing God has for all and any. Merry Christmas.

Peace Dave.