Christmas Holiday

Holidays with kids aren’t real holidays. Not like holidays where you get to relax and unwind and think about yourself and your wants. No, holidays with kids are just about transferring the work to another location. A location you might not have any control over.


At best holidays with kids can be fun and adventurous and at worst this can be a nightmare of no one’s needs being met. Meeting up with B and Little Miss’s twin boy cousins and their parents at Nana’s house was the plan. The kids were all in hyper drive with the excitement of it all. It was a shock for the hosts and they kept their brave faces on as best they could. Routines went out the window as sleep only happened when everyone crashed from sheer exhaustion.

The courageous hosts made a few little comments about the washing machine getting a work out with at least two loads a day (the record was 5) and the dishwasher ran twice a day, but there was enough plates, chairs and beds for us all. Parenting styles conflicted and children stated, “But that’s not fair,” and asked “Why?” and “Why?” and “Why?” again. Eating was an issue for one whereas sleep was for another, one went to bed really late, where as one woke up with the birds. Discipline took on different forms. But the children were having the time of their lives and loving every minute.

Nana’s usual Christmas routine was completely shot, she usually gets to enjoy the labours of another, but this year she and her husband hosted a Christmas Eve dinner for 8 children under 6 and 9 adults. It wasn’t surprising that she announced, “I don’t do cooking on Christmas day”. Instead we ate left-overs for lunch then took the whirl wind of us to the beach. The beach was relaxing, allowing us to spread, seek solitude, walk, create, explore and swim. The beach all to ourselves, we were all happy there.

Like Weddings, Christmas holidays bring the best and the worst out in us.

There was;
Happy hellos, brotherly conflict, a meeting of minds, hidden adult tears, hysterical laughter, children’s tantrums, pure childish play, amazing wild life, too much food, someone who drank too much, inspiring conduct, embarrassing behaviour, a broken lamp, clever workshop creations, an electric conversation, an iron that blew up, a very messy floor, an unwrapping present fenzy, beautiful fresh morning raspberries and sad good-byes.

A really happy Christmas.