Christmas Day 2020
I know we are a bit into the New Year now, but I thought it might be nice to reflect and look back on the Christmas that I, and we all had in 2020. A different one, but definitely a memorable one.
I work in retail, so the lead up to Christmas was pretty hectic. I finished my first semester of Uni at the beginning of December, so I had a break for a couple of weeks before Christmas in that sense, but spent a lot of it working. Usually, working at Christmas would probably be the most fun out of the whole year. It’s when the majority of the team would be in work at the same time, so we all get to see each other a lot more often, and all spirits are high with the most wonderful time of the year pending.
I guess we came out of our second national lockdown around the beginning of December, so I think Christmas and the whole festive period seemed to creep up on a lot of people and give everyone a shock with how quick it came around. I swear one minute it was Halloween and then it was December! The uncertainty of what was to come towards Christmas time was in the air with customers, understandably of course, but this was definitely taken out on retail staff just as stresses usually are.
When it was announced that the UK would have a ‘5 days of Christmas’ period from 23rd-27th December, it was just the good news that everyone needed. After having my 21st and Mum’s 50th in lockdown in the previous few weeks, knowing we would be able to mix with the two households we normally would see at Christmas was the cherry on a bland, unrisen and undercooked cake (does that analogy make sense?). I normally see family on boxing day, so it felt like the plan over the proper Christmas period was going to be pretty normal in comparison to the other Christmas’s - boy was I wrong!
I wish I hadn’t been told in the first place that we would be able to see family. I fully wasn’t expecting it to be allowed, so to be told it was going to be for 5 days was the best and most positive shock I had in ages. I 100% agree that the idea of mixing so many families over this many days was not a good idea, but I wish it hadn’t been said in the first place so the amount of disappointment caused could have been avoided. So yes, being let down 5 days before Christmas was not ideal, but since it was looking like the Christmas I had expected all year, I soon got over it and got excited for a quiet one at home.
Being 21, and having no one really little in the family now, Christmas is just that little bit less exciting, but I appreciated it so much more this year. I am so lucky to have spent the day with my Mum, Dad and younger brother with the most amazing presents, gorgeous Christmas decorations and lots of lovely food, drinks and time to play games and watch Christmas tele. I was also so lucky to still get to see Jacob on Christmas day, and exchange our presents and play more board games!
As I think everyone is aware now more than ever, appreciating what you have is so much more important at this current time. We will never get this time again to enjoy the present and slow down a little bit.
If you’d like to watch a bit of my Christmas day, I filmed and uploaded a Christmas Day video on my YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkVt6U09vVA&t=907s
I hope everyone had the best Christmas they could, and I was and still am thinking of anyone who had to spend Christmas or this third lockdown alone. My dms are always open.
Thanks for reading! Keep smiling and have a great day! Liv
