Christmas Bells, it is Yuletide again. Festive bells are ringing. We send greetings online, hoping everyone has had a good year. Being traditional, my family and I have all purchased Christmas cards, and so have some of my gal pals. Maybe It is a chick thing. Personally, this season I gazed at my failing legibility, and dimming eyes, bemused by the array of cards I feel obliged to post. So, I deployed my trusty computer and printed off enough tags saying, “Best wishes from ……” All in larger print, guess we are all getting older.

I purchased some paste, now I have to sit down and adhere the greetings to the cards. The focus is to get the task done this week. I realise I said that to myself last week, but definitely this week. We must prepare for Christmas Bells. Old primary school teachers are very good on cut and paste, it is part of our job description. Craft is cool.

Thoughts of our Christmas Day here Down Under do initiate imagery of Father Christmas on a surfboard at the beach. His bulging belly is clad in board shorts. Just the waft of Bing Crosby, and we Aussies shall have artificial snow and old style tinsel, under perhaps blazing blue skies.

Some Yuletide days we greys have survived have meant sudden fashion decisions depending on any summer’s capacity to bring snow, hail, searing hot days, or seven inches of rain. Indeed, anything is possible. Santa fits right in, whatever the meteorologists might predict.

Then there is the food and drink. Some Christmas meals are quite tasteful, moderate, not too excessive. We, the spoilt, have been heard to all groan, as more indulgency appears.

“Not more food!!” Would Santa, let alone Jesus, think we are all a bit crude? Prior to the actual day of sharing, we can all be engaged in a frenzy of shopping for that elusive perfect present.

That is our tradition. Giving and receiving what we hope are well chosen gifts for each individual. All our gifts are for the giving. I suppose many boomers may have done this too, spent some energies to purchasing least expensive rolls of Christmas wrapping, to save money on quality wrap. The less expensive gift paper the better. That way we can turn under the Christmas tree into a treasure trove extravagenza of what we hope delight our families and pals. Any constructive feedback on this retail therapy is acknowledged. Or are most people being polite?

Many mega stores are already complaining that their profits for selling stuff at Christmas are not as high, but we never know. Time takes care of stuff, whether personal, national or global. Old Father Time is old, and marches on for stuff, and us.

That is one way of celebrating when the founder of his faith was born at a magical moment in human history, an inclusive inspiration. It is now politically incorrect to express greetings of, “Merry Christmas”. Faith can inspire kind feelings, but maybe there are too many ‘isms” in our world. I believe in hoping all our leaders make wise decisions for the future of peace in our world.

I must say I barrack hard for peace, it would be worth it, whether it is happy time of year, or an excuse for conflict. All we would like to say, damn right these days, “Make ceasefire around the planet for that one day in December, and beyond the festive Yuletide day. Like right away!”

Happy Holidays, or Merry Christmas. We are your oldies in society, which young ones even listen to fuddy duddies, or ever have? It can be a very reflective time of year. Do whatever you can, we can express kindness for Christmas however we like. Whatever floats our boats.