Third time lucky for a peaceful Christmas

I love Christmas. From the build-up - meeting friends for festive drinks, going shopping for naughty treats, works dos, Christmas carols, wrapping up warm, putting up the tree - to the big day itself – family, Christmas dinner, then boxing day football.

The last two Christmases haven’t been quite in that mould, with a difficult build up to one and sickness marring the other.

Two years ago, me and my wife hosted Christmas for the first time. Our first Christmas as homeowners, it was to be a proud moment to be able to welcome people into our home. In the days leading up to it, we excitedly got everything ready and got the place scrubbing up well.

Two days before Christmas, we met up with my old school friends; unbeknownst to us, one was carrying a bug that was to ruin our respective Christmases. Of the 12 of us in the room, two escaped said bug – the rest suffered badly. Christmas morning was when I started throwing up, and was in bed by noon, unable to muster the strength to lift myself out of it before Dr. Who. My wife managed to get lunch to the table - but was unable to eat any of it - before going the same way as me. Our guests stayed, but got on with the day without us – luckily they didn’t succumb to whatever it was we were harbouring. When we did rejoin the party, we did so anchored to the sofa, covered in blankets. Not the Christmas Day we’d planned.

Last year, my Nanna passed away in October, and Christmas at mum and dad’s would just be a time for everyone to get together after a difficult couple of months. That idea was dashed when, on the day before Christmas Eve, my parents had to drive half way up the country, where another family member had been taken into hospital. To make matters worse, you’ll remember that the weather just before Christmas was absolutely appalling. With some roads impassable, their drive up north was a hairy one. Mum and dad made it back late on Christmas Eve, but without those that were to join us for Christmas Day.

So this year, I’m hoping it’ll be third time lucky. We’re in a new house, and we’re hosting again. Hopefully the problems of the last few years, and indeed, those we’ve encountered in the last few months – leaking roof, leak in the kitchen, drainage issues – are behind us.

I want to get back to loving Christmas again. Here’s hoping for a peaceful one this year.