Christmas Eve/Day
Because Christmas is not polite enough to fall on the same day of the week each year, I am Always mixed up. I need continuity. Without a TV or radio to remind me of the day – a muddle happens. Two of my children are on my side of the globe but three of my children and their loved ones celebrate Christmas in another hemisphere (or is it me who is in the other hemisphere), they get Christmas the day before I do. And sometimes I have to think terribly hard to keep up.
I am not a christmassy person, (here is why) I have no decorations up, no tree, I send presents in the mail for the wee children, nothing more than that. I bought John a special hoe and I am not telling you what I bought The Matriarch because she is one of The Fellowship and I don’t want to spoil the surprise (but I told everyone NOT to get me anything at all – I say this every year – I cannot bear money being spent because people feel they have to) but my main focus is to make sure I get the timing right for the phone calls to all five of my children – to wish them Happy blah blah blah, glad they are with people who LOVE christmas and get off the phone again before I say something awful or Weep. But I love to hear their voices. 
However it seems to me that today is Christmas Eve here in my neck of the woods and so Merry Christmas to those of you who are celebrating Christmas Day on the beach in the other neck of the woods.
I hope you have a gorgeous day.
Focus is over-rated I think. 
Good morning. I hope you are going to have a glorious day. Christmas Eve or Christmas Day or just Ordinary. Every day deserves to be as glorious.
Love your friend on the farmy
celi
63 Comments on “Christmas Eve/Day”
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Happy Whatever Day to you too C! Like you my family is a few time zones away and clocks are watched so I can get the right day for calling! Quite day tomorrow here though, just me and my animals, but I will enjoy their company just as much.
Time I watchedthat clock and started calling.. I envy you your quiet day tomorrow.. love love. c
Merry Christmas! And I do the same thing for gifts. All I ask for is time. Time to slow down with another person and enjoy thier company. My hubby though can’t stand it. He wants to give those material things. I love each one, but I still ask for “time”. So happy Dec 24/25…..to all.
Time is an excellent gift.. what a wonderful thought, just to sit and talk together..merry christmas pat! c
I’m with you somewhat. I think Christmas is very special for children, but I’ve grown weary of presents I don’t really want or need. However, I do absolutely love to cook the main meal, which is generally goose (this year included) and I normally make some sloe gin to give to friends 😉
I have never had goose.. or sloe gin for that matter.. maybe I will book myself a chair at your place one year!Just imagine.. c
You’d better! I can fit you in tomorrow if you can get a flight. Goose liver on toast for breakfast 😉
God! I wish!!!. c
…and I’m sure I can get some pumpkin for Sheila 😉
I think i can get her on the plane if i call her a therapy pig!.. c
Perfect!
like you we have no decorations and no tree and no presents for him or me….I think it is more for children…and also like you mine are miles away from home ….I just wish everyone near or far a very Special Christmas and a Very Happy New Year
Thank you darling girl.. I wish you happiness in every day, llittle pockets of it! I do love your comments.. c
Thank you Ceci, that was nice of you to say that .I would like to thank you and the animals for bringing me such happiness everyday. Tell Sheila that I am putting her calendar up next Wednesday night…Happy New Year
Miss C, you just gave everyone who is a part of this fellowship a delightful gift with this round-up of pictures. Our celebrations here grow smaller each year, but then the idea of sharing and caring can be framed in so many different ways and still bring happiness…Wishing you happy and short conversations filled with love.
I tried to get everyone, but I missed a few! never mind.. have a lovely day deb.. c
Indeed. Everyday deserves to be Glorious.
Glorious is such a delicious word! have you got your wee book yet? c
I love good old fashioned Christmas Carols so I like this time of the year. And I love the look on children’s faces when they talk about Santa. I also love seeing houses decorated with Christmas lights. Wishing everyone a happy 2015. Joy
Good! I love that you love them.. we need more people like you.. not more grinches like me.. c
The sun came out for you! So good to see the farmy animals with rays of sunshine on their backs, making them sparkle and shine. Happy Holidays to the Fellowship from Texas.
we did have a few hours of wonderful light.. I surely do appreciate the sun when it comes this winter! love love kim.. c
Yes, every day should be glorious!
there you are darling.. yes a little glory maybe once every hour is perfect!.c
Sunshine and light. What a glorious Christmas gift.
We decided not to do gifts this year either, although I am giving some anyway. Mothers can break rules. The gifts are items that once belonged to my mother and me, things I intended my girls to have. The son ordered himself a new watch, which I wrapped and placed under the tree. The son-in-law gets cheese made and aged in caves in my community.
Savor your phone calls with your children.
And Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!
When did all the gift giving start? Historically. I keep meaning to look this up. In fact i will right now.. The cheese sounds perfect, i would love that kind of gift!.. c
A glorious day to all. Together in spirit, if not in fact.
My family is too big to let me alone on Christmas, but your quiet day sounds delightful to me. I love the idea of Christmas: the lights, the decorations, Christmas music, presents in colorful paper wrapped in ribbon, angels and toy trains and Santa, the smell of pine trees and apple cider with cinnamon and cloves, red and green everywhere…I love all of it. But I hate doing it myself. Not that I hate it, really, but the tear-down at the end depresses me so. I stopped allowing myself a Christmas tree the year my roommate had to take mine down for me…in May!
You don’t need to decorate – your barn is highly reflective of the First Christmas. And don’t you know, at midnight on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day all the animals can talk 🙂 So, they will be celebrating, telling stories of how their great, great, great grand-cow or sheep was There overseeing the First Christmas.
I love the story of the animals talking at midnight! and I love midnight Mass…there is something about it that is not present at other times.
Wow!! Look at that sunrise! {I’m assuming, maybe it’s a sunset? haha}
Merry Christmas from Oz! ❤ xo
19minutes in and I am ready to sleep the whole day away! But I won't! Mstrs 5 and 8 wouldn't let that happen 🙂
Much merriment and joy to you and yours. Phone calls are the best gift.
Molly sends paw waves as she is eagerly waiting the German and my daughter this afternoon.
Hoping for sunny weather and some nice long dog walks. HUGS
I like Christmas because my daughters come home, but I could do without all the extra work. But I’ve finished it all now stuffing made ect ect, and just sitting having a nice cup of tea and catching up with the fellowship, Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all x
Happy Christmas Eve to you, Celie. It’s giving gifts that I enjoy. We just played Santa to our little friend Constance and her Mum, and I take great pleasure from it. I love your patchwork hen – or is it a rooster?
Love,
ViV x
That is Tima’s rooster.. he is always in her field.. c
I think I shall always remember your Christmas Eve post from 2013 (https://thekitchensgarden.com/2013/12/24/it-is-the-time-of-year-for-christmas-revelry-if-you-want-to/) as one of your masterpiece writings, Celi. You said what so many of us could not, or have never been courageous enough to express about Christmas. This morning I found myself outside just as the sun rose. I set out nuts and fruits to feed Punkin and Mr. Gambini (orphaned squirrels). They would soon scamper off to the woodlands to do whatever it is squirrels do all day. Daisy deer and Spirit quietly arrived down below the slope from our house for a bit of corn. They would be heading out to the deeper woods or perhaps to the river for the day. I walked down in the morning chill, quietly speaking to them – wishing I had a nice woolly coat to wear so I could walk with them in the wild for the day. I will always be content to enjoy a different kind of Christmas with the wild things… it is ok to be different, to be alone, and to be content with traditions that other’s might not understand. I love the acceptance and kindness of expression found here in the Fellowship. So many kindred souls sharing their deepest thoughts and feelings on this Christmas Eve’s day – what a gift to connect in fascinating conversation!
Thank you, SunDog for reminding us. went to it and so loved this post. You are 100% right. Just so beautifully written.
Dear Littlesundog, thank you for reminding us. Lovely link!
Merry Christmas to you, all five children, John, Old C, Matriarch and the whole farmy. Over here we’re gonna celebrate to the max! See if we don’t. We’re going to eat and party and exchange prezzies and be as merry as the day and night are long. And, what’s more, we’re doing it in Czech tonight and in British tomorrow. Biggest hugs from all three of us: Robert, Chloe and me over here with the huge grin on my mush. 😀
I think I’m one of the only ones to say this….but I love Christmas. I marvel every year that we all take time from our busy lives and actually do all this stuff–decorate the house, wrap presents, make cookies, and go to parties. And that’s what makes it special to me, that we all take the time to celebrate. Every year I hold my breath, convinced this is the year that everyone just decides to bag it. But then the lights go up on the houses and there we are again. I hope everyone enjoys their Christmas in the exact manner they choose!
Oh I think you are in good company.. Thankfully the Christmas Lovers are in the majority! Which is good. Christmas is for families and none of my family is here that is all. c
There is a touching Christmas Eve poem by Thomas Hardy called, THE OXEN that I Love.
Wishing every one of the Fellowship and The Farmy a lovely Christmas Day.
Thank you for sharing your lovely photos of the farm. Happy Holidays and a prosperous New Year.
Wish I could send New Mexico sunshine your way! ‘My three daughters will be close by to me but my two sons are working. I still feel unbalenced when all five are not together. I look forward to your posts everyday!
I’ve been getting all turned round this week too getting the days mixed up. Thank goodness for phones and technology so we can hear our loved ones’ voices. 🙂 That’s the best gift.
Sending you a big, ordinary, every day is special hug x
We are having a wonderful “ordinary” December day here at Food on Fifth. Coffee in bed with a book, walking the dog, more coffee and now for a few errands. We had our family party early this year as part of my family is in Wisconsin with another part of the family, part are here and we will go to a movie later this evening to just be together. Rather an ordinary but lovely Christmas Eve Day. Best to you.
sounds just lovely.. am off out to walk my dogs and pigs right this minute! i love that part of the day.. c
Thank you, Celi! Your blog and friendship have meant a lot to me!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/?s=The+Adventures+of+Fuzzy+and+Boomer&submit=Search
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
My replies don’t seem to be getting through. Thought I’d mention a lovely poem by Thomas Hardy called THE OXEN.
Dear c, I have just read that you are not a Christmassy person and the touching post on the reason why. So instead of wishing you a merry Christmas I wish you health and happiness in the coming year. 😉
Christmas Eve and Christmas walks are important. Normal. And yet the perfect chance to take stock lightly, and move on…love you Celi…and thank you for all the joy you’ve brought me — well us — all year long. You are a gift that keeps happening.
I was going to save you until I’d finished all I have to do… but couldn’t wait. You have such immense and glorious skies; this run of pics is wonderful. But, oh, it can be really hard time of year, but, but… there’s also something special about it. So I am focussing on the special, and trying hard to come at it with the best perspective for my son. So, am baking and putting up lights, and wrapping gifts, and missing all my family, who are mostly no longer with us, or far away. Sending you, Celi, your family, and all the Farmy Fellowship, whose company I enjoy so much (although I don’t often contribute from my shy Glasgow corner), the sort of Christmas you want and need! x
Already Christmas here, already hot. It’s early, barely 6oc but I could hear the family next door up and opening presents when I went to feed the chooks. it was lovely to hear their laughter and the little girl squealing with excitement. First there’ll be dog walking…can’t miss out on that….. then I’m off to breakfast and present opening, mostly little things we’ve made each other, then later out to do some ‘dropping in’ whenever I feel like it. My children and grandchildren are far away so voices only. I’m looking forward to pleasing myself how this day goes. Love and light to all however you spend the day. xxx
Darling Celi: hate to tell you you are not the only Grinch in the universe! Yesterday was ‘party time’ as will tomorrow be . . . today is mine, all mine and for quite some years I have loved it so . . . it is a day of reflection and nature and memories of days past for much the same reasons as yours . . . these are the hours and days in my [hi]story during which I live in utter peace with myself . . . . love . . .
We’re not Grinchy about it, but we don’t give gifts to each other at Christmas. We make it the occasion of a large donation to Aussie Helpers, which provides feed, fuel and grocery vouchers to farmers doing it tough in outback Australia, after 6 years of declared drought. If we can prevent a farm or two being repossessed, and keep a farmer or two from the tragedy of suicide, our Christmas job is done. Our families know we don’t accept gifts, and instead make donations to either the Salvation Army or the St Vincent de Paul Society. It makes for a stressless, wasteless and constructive Christmas season! Tonight the immediate clan descends on Chiconia and we will feast and laugh and celebrate the excuse to get together and talk about our year. Stay warm, stay well, stay happy, dear Celi and warm seasonal greetings to all the Farmy Fellowship from hot, dry north Queensland.
Amen Kate! Agree a thousand per cent!! Have a fun filled and happy evening!!
And you too!
absolutely splendid.. farming in the outback is such a tough choice.. thank you and yours for giving what you can.. c
These guys feed us, it’s time to give back, and do it properly. It’s our pleasure to try and make a small difference in a hard world.
The Farmy has a particularly festive feel in the photos today. Blessings to you and yours, C.
a’ite Grinchy. How ’bout you come up with a lipstick color and call it “Grinch.” It can’t be green … too easy. You need something non festive that pairs with a nice Champagne.
OK. Well now I feel this little “niggle” to go on an absolute mission to make sure that next year’s Christmas is your BEST Christmas EVER! LOL