thechristmasprojectdiary

I have been reading “The Joy of Gardening” by Lynda Hallinan which was a Christmas pressie from my children this year. It is Lynda’s latest book and I am thoroughly enjoying being able to pop my feet up every so often and escape away into the pages of this book, to visit for a time, via the text and beautiful photographs, into Lynda’s stunning farm garden.

Reading about the joys of gardening has got me very much thinking about what are the joys of Christmas.

What is it about Christmas that gives me joy?

What is it about Christmas that makes that particular lightness of spirit turn up and be present for a time for me?

As I contemplated this the other day, a visual memory came immediately to mind. A childhood memory of walking through a door at my maternal grandparent’s house early one Christmas morning and seeing in the early morning light the transformation that had occurred, over night within the lounge area, around and in connection to the Christmas tree.

The colours, the symbols of Christmas all glistening and shiny on the tree, waiting for the day ahead. The bright diverse colours of multiple gifts: all different shapes and sizes wrapped in a variety of ways carefully placed in and under the tree ready, and seemingly flowing across the carpet everywhere…. it looked so pretty and special.

As a highly visual person this sight seemed so magical. To my creative, imaginative young, small childish self, it was an incredible sight to behold. This memory however exaggerated or extravagant it may in fact be in its recording, it has stayed firmly captured within my memory and it is one of my fondest childhood memories.

Somehow the sight of that tree, with an array of happy, brightly coloured gifts wrapped under it, touched something deep within my soul and it stayed with me over all the years.

There is something rather timeless about a Christmas tree with gifts and parcels resting under it. There is something stable and reassuring symbolized by a Christmas tree surrounded by gifts, all wrapped by a group of people connected together by love, respect and mutual trust.

There is something bright and happy about the diversity of wrapping papers chosen and the extra care taken to add additional ribbons, bows and cards to the top and sides of those very gifts.

Over the years the methods of wrapping explored and the actual contents of Christmas gifts exchanged with family and friends have caused laughter, joy and explanations of surprise and delight. Yet something unique and somewhat magical always seemed to occur, before even one of them were opened. The wrapping itself with all its happy vivid colours, diversity of patterns is something of a gift, particularly for those like myself who are very visual people.

I love the colours of Christmas. I love the reds, the greens, silvers, the golds… all the colours of Christmas that come to mind are full of light, boldness, brightness. The colours of Christmas contain a warmth and joy not matter which end of the colour spectrum they are from. For me, the colours of Christmas are a source of joy.

I love the visual textures and patterns of Christmas. The quirking patterns of the wrapping papers over the years, the fall of light across various surfaces and the play of light cast and dancing across coloured tinsel…. it is all rich in life, love and laughter somehow. It all seems to project and reflect joy.

I love the play of light and dark that is connected to the season of Christmas. It is a season of candles and twinkling fairy lights all shining out best against deep darkness.

There are numerous sources of joy present and associated with the season of Christmas, and that which is visually seen during this time is just one small component of it. Yet it is the visual memories that have often deeply and very clearly touched my soul personally and warmed it over the years.

The last two years have been so difficult and challenging. This is the case for so many people. Today as I sit typing once again to create this very blog post there is something so delightfully pleasurable, however simple it may be, in the greater scheme of things, in being able to stop and pause to see the lights on a Christmas tree sparkly and twinkling back at me.

It creates a moment of timelessness. It creates a moment of escapism. It creates a moment and source of fun and joy, no matter your age or station or circumstances. This IS what is part and parcel of the joy that is contained in this thing I know as Christmas and currently I most definitely love having it lurking and hanging around that bit longer.