Holiday Time

I've been in two minds about what to do with myself on "the day" and I've struggled to decide. Part of me thought I should go to the community centre to have lunch with everyone else who was alone. Part thought I should watch Christmas movies at home with a decadent lunch, and part of me wanted to pretend the day doesn't even exist. It's the third Christmas I've spent alone, but I think this year it got to me because I've been a bit down over the past few months and spent far too long thinking about my lack of friends.

My last blog entry went live early in the morning before I went to work on the 22nd... so I'd thought I had a nice enough birthday. People were kind, I got cards, they simply thought of me, it did wonders for my mood. But my dog, I really do work with the loveliest people. We had another group lunch the following day and they even brought out a sensational Baileys chocolate cake complete with a firework sparkler ♥

And I had some really nice conversations with thoroughly good people. Good people really are great, you know? One thing that stood out was that people are all doing different things... some are working, some will be with family, some with friends, some at tables for 20 and some by themselves. And it's ok. There's not a rule that you have to do Christmas at all, or even in a certain way.

So I've decided for Christmas that I won't be doing the cooked hot dinner shenanigans like last year. Instead, I'm thinking cold barbecue chicken and coleslaw. It's thoroughly Australian, so why not? Besides, I brought home a plate of mixed cheese, some crackers, mini mince pies, and other bits and bobs from our lunch... and I managed to resist the cheese for more than 24 hours! I also need to be watching the live raffle draw at 5pm to see if I win the motorbike (I got a free ticket from Rev Comps).

Entering a supermarket on Christmas Eve is shopping hell, but I'm now contemplating just such madness for my barbecue chicken and my coleslaw.