It's the 1st of December, so now we can officially say it's nearly Christmas and blast Christmassy tunes out of our radios without being scrutinised by Scrooges. For some, Christmas is only exciting due to the pile of gifts under our tree - but this isn't what Christmas is all about.
Christmas was initially of course a celebration of Jesus' birth, but speeding up to modern day it has become a crazed time of year where presents and gifts are bought and wrapped and hid until appearing again on December 25th amid the pine needles of the tree. It has also been seized as an opportunity for various companies, as they Christmas-fy everything they can set their eyes on - clothes, teddies and even Coca Cola bottles. The Christmas adverts emerge and the advent calendars, and all the tacky trees and reindeer antlers.
I'm not saying my heart isn't in Christmas. In fact, it's my favourite time of year; the one time everyone can be cheerful and to be hopeful, to spend time with their families, exchange gifts, eat too much turkey and wear the most cringeworthy jumper without being looked at too weirdly. It's when adults become children again, and for some time at least, stress leaves us.
But what I'm concerned about is when in all that busyness that the true meaning of Christmas is lost. You may laugh at this, but rest assured I am not saying that everyone should follow Christianity and decorate their homes with babies in mangers, and I'm not suggesting that everyone should tear down their decorations, bin their presents and spend the whole twelfth month praying and praising in the pews. But when did the festive part of the year become a marketing ploy? When did our brains get numbed by all the eggnog and our bodies too lazy from the mince pies to spread the truest aim of Christmas -
unity and hope?!
I mean, three kings, three shepherds, Mary and Joseph, a donkey and an ox all gathered round to see Jesus being born. They followed a star just because they believed that it would lead to good. They risked and sacrificed so much, and then we do not follow that example - instead, we fool ourselves into thinking that gift giving and money spending makes us somewhat accomplished.
Even if you aren't religious, or you don't celebrate Christmas, it doesn't take away the fact that Christmas is a time meant for spending time with the ones you love and spreading those good feelings you experience. It is about having that small rush of hope as you wake on Christmas morning, and discovering your delight downstairs - which is not necessarily presents.
That is why I'm doing BLOGMAS. The pun of the title is not to entice you nor to try and make Christmas into something it isn't, but simply to allow more of the fun back into this holiday. It will run on for 12 days (hence the 1/12 in the title) and I will be writing a blog each day even if I don't want to. I hope I will keep up with it, but if I don't, then you have permission to pester me or call me a hypocrite.
My mission is to do one random act of kindness each day for 12 days (but hopefully many after!) and record it with you on my blog. This can be simple as making a cup of tea for someone even if they don't ask for it, or drawing them a picture, or making their bed, or asking how their day went, or holding their hand, sending them a message, or giving them a hug. Or it can be buying them gloves because they always complain their hands get really cold, or a new packet of eggs because they couldn't make that omelette they were craving without them. The great thing about this is you don't have to go to extensive measures to complete the aim, but that doesn't mean that it isn't making an effort!
I am also going to video snippets of these random acts of kindness and preview them on my Instagram. If you want to check them out over the course of these twelve days, my Instagram is @floatinginatincan. If you are influenced by this blogpost and you too want to do random acts of kindness (but no pressure!) then describe them either in a caption on an Instagram post or record a video or post a picture with the hashtag #thefestivetruth
Please note that I will probably from day 1-12 include varieties of the kindness scale (from simple things to really going out of your way to please someone).
I encourage you greatly to follow this and try it too. It is beneficial both ways, and it spreads the Christmas joy.
I present to you my first random act of kindness, 1/12/15.
I gave tea to my dad after he had been working all day without being asked; he smiled warmly and thanked me whilst hugging me afterwards. He mentioned it to my Mum, and of course, she insisted for one too after accusing me of favouritism! This all ended in a very happy atmosphere and my parents ultimately focused on things positive.
- olivia
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