Perfect Christmas

I had another epiphany this week.

It came in the form of a Better Homes and Gardens Magazine Actually.*see at end*

We all want a perfect Christmas. And some times we can feel sad or upset with ourselves when it doesn't turn out that way. I know I have lists and ideas of different things and traditions I want to do with my girls. I know I feel discouraged sometimes.

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I want to take gorgeous pictures of us decorating the tree - but it is REALLY hot in my house and all I end up with is pictures of sweaty, red faced us, with clothes optional on the kids.

I want to go carolling to friends and up and down my street, but alas I cannot sing (and don't even try the sure you can - all people can sing line... I REALLY CANNOT!)

I want to sit around a piano at home with my family belting out carols till our hearts content except no one plays an instrument here (though the girls are learning SLOWLY because they never practice) and the girls may have inherited my bad singing :)

I want a beautifully decored house, strung with lights and boughs of holly

I want Dinner parties with wonderful food and perfect place settings

I Love gorgeously wrapped boxes, and want to fill my house with presents

I want to bake decadent sweets and treats (still too hot to bake and too expensive for ingredients)

I want to be organised and send wonderful homemade cards to every friend and family

I want a christmas crockery set for 8 people

But as it came to me in the form of the editors letter in BHG

IT TIS BUT A DREAM

Because if a team of professionals with uneding budgets take over 6 months and still struggle to get it right........ Then who am I to be able to compete?

We shall have to be happy

with love

with family

with hot sticky summer nights

with things made from meager budgets

with mismatched wonkily wrapped presents

with bad singing

and simple meals

Sounds like a PERFECT CHRISTMAS to me

*Paraphrased Editors Letter from December Better Homes and Gardens*

You know of course that we begin our Christmas planning somewhere in July to have everything ready for you when gorgeous old Christmas comes around for real.

Then comes the cover. Take a look at our exquisite christmas Tree. Each lovely decoration has to earn its place in relation to shape and colour with its neighbour. Half an hour or more is spent on getting EACH bow tied just right around the gifts. But you know each year someone plays up. And this year it was the cheeky butterfly in the red circle. It just refused to hang correctly. It took 3 HOURS to get him right.

It takes a week or more to get our words just right, to say what we need to tell you as warmly as we can. We had 26 variations (of the magazine) this time. Then, we finally begin to think it's our best offering, we print it!