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Growing up my mum had very little, born post World War 2, and into a family of 10 children (one who dies as a tiny infant), they struggled with poverty. There was little food and for a time she and her sisters where sent to live in an orphanage as her parents just couldn’t support all their children. For a period of time they lived in a tent under the pine trees by the ocean where she would find snakes in her bed and the ocean or rain was her bath time. One thing about my mum though was her fighting spirit, call it stubbiness or determination, but as a little girl she knew she would grow up and make a better life for herself. When her family had a home she would clean it from top to bottom and make it look as lovely as she could. Life wasn’t easy, but she made it an adventure and got up to loads of cheeky fun with her siblings.

Now she has a beautiful home, and she and my dad always made sure our home was filled with love and happiness and that we never went without. She still likes to make sure her house is spotless and when it comes to Christmas my mum goes all out, it is her absolute favourite time of year. Look up the meaning of deck the halls with bells and holly and you may just see a picture of her wearing an apron and a Santa hat. My mum may have been born in Australia, but when it comes to Christmas she is very English. (She even married an Englishman). It may be stinking hot here on Christmas, but I think if she could get away with it she would have a log on the fire! It’s no seafood and salads in her house, it’s a roast with all the trimmings and pudding to follow. We are literally all wearing elastic waisted clothing or undoing our top buttons. There is bonbons and Christmas Carols, there is a big tree and everywhere where you look there is a decoration to be spotted.

Under her tree are prettily wrapped presents with bows and shiny paper. Her Christmas cards are sent (don’t even think of posting her a Facebook Christmas message, it must be the real thing), and on Christmas morning the grandchildren will be excited unwrapping their gifts and their Nan will be sat by watching with happy tears in her eyes and joy in her heart. We often tease her about her “traditional Christmas” and threaten that we will have ‘fish n’ chips’ on the beach one year, but as much as we try and bring her into the modern world we secretly agree that Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without her pudding and her Christmas tree.

A few years ago she spent Christmas day in hospital fighting for her life, we thought we may never get another Christmas with her again. Struck down with a terrible illness she lost her memory and her ability to use her limbs. We thought we had lost the mum and Nan we knew forever. But we should never of doubted that within her she was still that stubborn, determined little girl and she fought her way back to us, she had to fight for her memories and learn to walk again. So yes she may be determined to celebrate Christmas her way, but after nearly loosing her I am forever grateful to have the opportunity to sit around her Christmas table, embrace tradition, stuff myself full of a hot meal on a very hot day at a table where we laugh, sing and be merry!

Whatever your traditions are, wherever you may be, I wish you happiness, laughter, and good health this time of the year. For all that are lonely, sick, or missing a loved one for the first time this year I pray that you find peace and I send you my love. Whatever way you spend your Christmas just remember to treat yourself and others with kindness, acceptance and love and be grateful for the little things always. Because one thing (besides all the Christmas trimmings), that my mum has taught me is to give to others, to open up our hearts and spread the Christmas cheer far and wide.

Much love, and thanks for joining me, love Mackenzie xx

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This post was written as part of the Friday Reflections link up. I am so grateful for everyones support this year. If you would like to link up and share your Christmas traditions, new years thoughts, what you’ve been grateful for in 2015 or anything you feel you would like to reflect on, we would love to have you join us. As we will be taking a break in Jan from the linky, this weeks link will remain up for January so you can link up anytime you are feeling reflective (yes more than one post is welcome this time). If you are missing getting your reflective fix every Friday over January head over to our Pinterest Page where you can find all the fabulous reflective posts that were linked up in 2015!

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  • FREE WRITING: Reflect and write about anything!
  • What does Christmas mean to you (for those who celebrate)?
  • Share your New Years resolutions for 2016.
  • The final gratitude post for the year – what are you grateful for in 2015?
  • Share your favourite post from 2015.
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xmas