Dear mummy, I’ve thought long and hard about my Christmas Wish List this year. Scouring Pinterest and ‘Not On The High Street for perfect ideas. I shouldn’t really be so materialistic, you don’t really need an embroidered pillow to say how great you are, daddy doesn’t need more beard balm for his already EPIC beard and I don’t need another bloody wooden toy from Melissa & Doug (they are my favourite though!)
Grandma doesn’t really need the personalised Emma Bridgewater mug and extended family don’t really need everything off their AMAZON wish list.
So this year I present (pre-sent) haha excuse the pun, my Alternative Christmas Wish List, the things that matter most to us as a family.
1) A roof over our heads
Many homeless people at Christmas have nowhere to go, seeking out shelters in the UK or sleeping in doorways on cardboard boxes. We are very fortunate to have a lovely house to live in. As another year passes we will be thankful for what we have and try to help others in need.
2) Warm clothes on our backs
Many refugees have travelled hundreds of miles to escape war-torn countries. Sometimes travelling and living in the same clothes for weeks, often cold and freezing at night. We take for granted the blessing of clean clothes, hot showers and warmth.
3) Hot food in our bellies
Soup kitchens and food banks up and down the country struggle with demand over the Christmas period. We are so lucky that we can sit down as a family and enjoy a hot meal together. This year I encourage people to help donate food to food banks, volunteer some of their time to help others less fortunate.
We’ll be bonding over a hot meal and giving thanks, I’ll be telling my mummy to put down her phone and join in the conversation too!
4) The love of a family
Every family unit goes through tough times, deep down everyone loves each other. Christmas time is a time to reinforce bonds with friends and family and cherish the special moments. I’ll be looking forward to lots of cuddles and kisses from my relatives.
It’s also a time to be a bit more thoughtful and charitable to others. The John Lewis Advert really struck a chord with us this year.
5) Christmas cheer
Christmas time can be a time of dread for many. Whether it be spending time with the black sheep of the family, seeing someone after a long-standing dispute, Christmas is the time to forgive and forget and be cheerful. If you can’t be cheerful, be respectful of others feelings.
6) The magic and mystery of Father Christmas
I wish to always be young at heart and keep a fresh outlook on life. Imagination and innocence are such a precious things. A recent trip to LaplandUK was a great introduction into the magic of Christmas!
7) Health
Above all we wish for health and happiness for our nearest and dearest. If we could bottle up happiness and good health it would sell for millions. As a family we need to put things into perspective, sometimes things aren’t as bad as they seem.
8) Hope
Yeah it sounds like a cliché saying that we wish for world peace and an end to starvation and poverty. But we do hope things start to get better in the world….they surely can’t get much worse for certain people. We hope over the Christmas season that people caught up in the Syrian conflict get some respite. It’s just a shame that there aren’t more Samaritans in the world.
Who knows in the New Year we might be some of the select few that hope to make a different in the world. It starts at home…
We hope you like our Christmas Wish List this year! What would you have on yours?
Love Bella x
