Just Pondering: The gift of time

By Allyson McCaw on November 24, 2022.

Here it is Christmas time again. Where did this last year go? Thankfully, it has returned to somewhat normal times, and we can again celebrate in our traditional ways. However, I wonder if we are going to boomerang and try to make up for lost time with extravagant gifts and over-the-top gestures?

Did we learn anything from the pandemic? I wonder if we will just stop for a minute and reflect on how crazy this whole season has spiralled into. Do we need to relook at this frenzied buying, baking, decorating, stressing and just plain running around like chickens with our heads cut off?

I would bet the farm that if you took a moment and asked yourself, “What is my most precious Christmas memory,” that answer may include a gift, but I would hazard a guess it would be tied to where you were and who was present.

Truly the best ones for me were when we stuffed 30-odd people in my grandparents’ little house, and chaos ran amok!

Money was very tight, just as it is now in our inflationary world, but I never felt hard done by. I was safe, loved and accepted. I cannot remember a single toy I got but I can tell you in living colour how fun it was to be surrounded by all my cousins at the kids table and the wonderful antics that took place.

We still laugh until we cry at those memories when we get together. My hubby remembers his special times spent on military bases and their tradition of opening Christmas socks first and the exhilarating build-up to the uncovering of a sheet to reveal their Santa gifts.

We were so incredibly lucky to have our own children, with hubby playing Santa and all our wonderful Christmas mornings. Christmas is truly the most precious when seen through the eyes of a child.

So, I would suggest this year, let’s jump off that crazy train and park that sense of having to do it all! Let us just be grateful we are together. Hide your credit card, buy a deck of cards or a toboggan and create that special memory for a loved one using your time instead of money.

From my family to yours, we wish each of you an incredibly special celebration.

Stay well.

Allyson McCaw is a Medicine Hatter

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