Christmas Cactus.

I think I must be getting old!

I feel the need to rant about Christmas.

A rather nice religious festival with a good message which as a child we saw as an exciting time. Presents were usually one from Father Christmas which was often something we needed such as new slippers or a dressing gown and one from my parents. A small sock contained some small gifts which always included half a crown at the very end of the sock, a few nuts and a satsuma . And some years chocolate coins. That was it, partly as I did not have hordes of relatives who bought gifts at Christmas! However I cannot ever feel being deprived!

Today children start thinking of this special day as a day when for no explicable reason they will all get a VAST amount of gifts from everyone , with parents faced with huge expense to supply their little dears with an endless array of gifts.

A little harsh maybe but Christmas was never intended to be an over bearing , worrying , expensive , stressful time. It was a celebration of the birth of Christ and a time for family to get together to enjoy a meal .

Simpler times I know, and I appreciate that as a nation we no longer have the religious feelings towards this day as we have in the past. But goodness knows where this Christmas madness is taking us! It seems we need 2 and a half months to prepare ourselves for the big day as Festive adverts are now hitting our tv screens with a avalanche catalogues trying to sell me every know gadget that is know to man.

Despite all this I know that I am lured into this world of frenetic shopping for the family and I know I will spend a little more than I need to, but I will be going to Church on Christmas Eve and I hope that I will always be able to convey the massage of what Christmas is about to my Grandchildren.

Rant over.

PS ankle still very painful but I am downstairs today. Progress is SLOW!