Changing times

The seasons have shifted, almost imperceptibly from whatever summer we had to autumn. It happened almost overnight; the leaves have turned, people are wearing more clothes and the days are yielding less sunlight. More worryingly though, are the Christmas lights that now cling to the lamp posts and are strung across the streets - gaudy, garish and brash. Not to mention that it is still 3 months until Christmas is even supposed to happen. Every year it happens and every year people (myself included) have a gripe about it.

Although as children the majority of us revelled in Christmas, the build up, the anticipation and the count down using advent calendars, either chocolate or picture versions as adults we have come to dread it. As we grew up the anticipation left us and we developed a cynicism borne of our elders. Christmas was a time of dread, of relatives descending from all the four corners of the compass, eating too much, getting presents that we are unsure are suitable and trying to please everyone except ourselves.

This year I have decided not to celebrate it - at least not in the proper way. I am having Christmas with one person apart from myself and I will go home at New Year. Time for me - no more dread.

But as most things change so do I. I have gone from being a carefree child, loving Christmas to a child who realised that Father Christmas was not real (a real changing point in my life) to a parent enjoying the excitement a child gets from the mystery back to being an adult not wanting the event to even happen.

But change...that is unstoppable. Roll on Spring.