Little Lambs, Christmas Spirit (or lack of) and Clementines.

But he did a great job, and was the cutest little lamb that I’ve ever seen.

This year, the Infant department (Reception, year one and year two) did a musical called “The Sleepy Shepherd”. 

I find it interesting that, here in Britain every school does a Nativity play. It is about the birth of Christ. Period. Every once and a while I will catch wind of the political incorrectness of saying Merry Christmas or some other ridiculous nonsense in North America but here it just isn’t an issue. It isn’t that everyone is a Christian. In fact, far from it. Christmas began as a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Christ. If I am Christian and I want to say Merry Christmas what is so wrong with that? 

There is no lack of Christmas cheer here in Cambridge. Saturdays are surreal as we go downtown and the Salvation Army Brass Band plays carols and the streets are all lit up. It really is magical and almost puts me in the Christmas mood.

I have to admit that this year is different. Christmas is different. Very different. I told Ben that I think this is the first Christmas in 20 years that I haven’t made shortbread. Every year is so saturated and I love it. Christmas carols, Service practices, dinner parties, children’s parties, homemade gifts, Christmas Baking, Christmas cards, Presents to give, Presents to receive, traditions, family and friends.

There are times when I feel like I am a character in the book Skipping Christmas.  We have tried to make it our own and do little things. We have a tree covered in homemade ornaments. We sat down and made Christmas cards for Jakob’s classmates which actually ended up being pretty painful…(might not try that again) and I have even eaten my share of mince pies. But Christmas is meant to be shared and quite frankly, I have no one to share it with. We have our little family but if I were to make short bread, I would end up eating it all myself. We aren’t hosting any parties because it costs money and we haven’t bought any gifts to ship to our loved ones because that costs money too. We are on a shoestring budget this year and doing our best but I have to admit, money fuelled the Christmases that I know and love, the hospitality that we loved to show, the dinners we loved to host and the gifts we loved to give. I had hoped to host a lovely Christmas dinner in which I envisioned welcoming others who were without family here in Cambridge, but they all found other plans… and other people, so I won’t cook a turkey this year either. I know that Christmas isn’t just about the food, or the parties or the presents but something far greater than any of these things, but I think anyone who has been away from their family at Christmas time can understand my lack of Christmas Spirit.

Jakob, on the other hand, has no problem getting in the Christmas spirit and was kind enough to open one of my presents from Grandma for me….

And despite my confused Christmas cheer, we are still loving life in Cambridge – today was no exception and it even snowed in the morning! Snow here is much like snow in Vancouver, however and was gone as soon as it touched the ground and quickly turned to rain. After dropping Jakob off at school for the last time before the Christmas break Ben and I, along with a sleeping Ella, went for coffee….as usual. Then errands.

For lunch Ella and I decided it was a good day for a special treat and had a lunch date a place I have been wanting to try call Stickybeaks. We had the Parsnip and Apple soup. It was very good, Ella loved it. It’s a great little place, warm and quaint with simply good, homemade food….with style. Good food and ambiance is hard to find here is Cambridge but this cute little cafe had both.

In the afternoon, Jakob’s school had a carol service, which families were allowed to attend. Sancton Wood was founded on Christian principles and as I have said many many times before, I could not ask for a better place for Jakob. The service was a reflection of the school’s family ethos as we sang carols and watched our children perform. The Lord’s Prayer was done as an International Paternoster and there was a lovely Christmas message. It was a great way to end the term. 

Now, time for more clementines and maybe a little trip up north. In case I don’t talk to you before then, MERRY CHRISTMAS!