“Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Promise, take care of yourself
A greeting you get
Lite a candle and let it burn
Never let hope disappear it is dark now
But it gets brighter again
Lite a candle for everything you believe in
For this planet, we live on
Lite a candle for the children of the earth”
Niklas Stromstedt / Lasse Lindbom
….. and here I land, the most cynical person in the world the when it comes to Christmas.
I wish I could create a post with lovely memories … but I can’t. Because I don’t like Christmas.
It has nothing to do with my childhood – I had fantastic Christmases as a child, while my grandpa was alive, after that it changed a lot … but it never became bad.
I became a mini adult at a very young age (of many reasons) … and for me, Christmas became a holiday of loneliness and MUSTS already in the late teens.
For me are Christmas just 3 days of a year where suddenly everything has to welcomning, warm and filled with togetherness. Gifts are changing hands … and most of them will be exchanged before New Year.
I don’t dislike everything … I love the light that it creates indoor and outdoors, especially up here in the North. I love the Christmas cards … I love all the glitter, but that’s about it.
I can live without the food … the toddies … and the music.
I can live without the stress … the same TV-programs!
Christmas is when lonely people are feeling even more lonely and out in the chill … with hunger more significant.
People max their credit cards … for 3 days of the year that will take years to pay off.
All because we feel we have to provide something, that’s really a 3-days long fairytale.
This year …. it has become even worth … with so many empty chairs around so many kitchen tables.
With so many people on hospitals all over the world fighting for their lives. Hosptial staff that are working double shifts … and going on their knees with risk for their own lives.
Since my mum died in 2013 I have escaped the Christmas and visited countries where they don’t have Christmas, for one exception – Krakow, it wasn’t an escape it was more like landing in the middle of it, but I enjoyed my days .. and I survived.
This year I had plans to spend Christmas in Baku, Azerbaijan – but that was cancelled quite early – then we changed it to Porto … and that was cancelled this week.
So here I’m with the Swedish TV-programs … and on my own. With the new restriction … our new normal. *smile
But I will look at as it is any other weekend but with a lot of Christmas music and I doubt I will get a white Christmas … more likely a very wet one.
And I’m going to enjoy our traditional Christmas dish “Lutfisk” (Soapfish) – but that I do because I can’t get it during the rest of the year. I fill up my shellfish draw in the freezer with it, so I can eat whenever I feel for it during the rest of the year but it’s gone before the summer????!!!
I must admit that there is one Christmas song … I absolutely love! So maybe there is hope for me???????!!!
myguiltypleasures 
It’s not compulsory, Vivi, but yes- there’s a lot of twaddle talked about it, and a lot of money spent to create the illusion of happiness. This year has been crazier than ever in the UK. They’ve encouraged people to rush out and spend for a 5 day ‘bubble’ which has now been withdrawn. Why can’t we be kind 365 days a year? Too hard, I guess. Sending Christmas hugs 🙂 🙂
Jo, I totally agree … there 362 days that we have to live through. Why not put glitter into those days??? I don’t know … I try to see the special joy in Christmas. ILoveHug!
Merry Christmas Wivi, so true it will a very different one for a lot of people. We should strive to carry on the goodwill and kindness throughout out the year, not just keep it to 1 day.
Stay safe wivi and one day you will enjoy your travels again xx
Merry Christmas, my Lovely. I couldn’t agree more with you. My travel I will make sure will happen .. already in March, I hope, but if it will not happen then .. it will happen another time. So long I don’t lose my money. Sound like a true Scot now. *laughing. Maybe 2021 means that I have to go and buy a hat?????!!!! I wish you both and your near ones a healthy and pleasant Christmas and bring on 2021 for us … so soon as possible. Hope I will be able to have lunch with then. *smile
Oh Vivi ! No ! You are not a cynic and you are not alone ! I and all the families of which I have been part of in my lifetime have thought along the lines you have expressed. I espouse all the warm feelings towards those around me but i feel and show them whenever appropriate throughout the year and not just the three days of proscribed Yule. Like you my families and now I ‘escaped’ to family farms, beach houses and parts of the world where Christmas was not important. Well, this year it is home. I can say, hand on heart, I have never ever felt upset or lonely or in any way the ‘other’ . . . I’ll happily celebrate harvest festivals and national days with meaning and thanksgiving days for our armies who lay down their lives to make peace . . . I’ll laugh at Rudolf’s antics and this year pray for a far better year next . . . Christmas: please do enjoy . . . it is not for me either . . . that said, Vivi – a huge warm hug to you just ’cause . . . 😉 !
Eha, I couldn’t believe it when I saw that you have spread my post all around the world. You’re a woman with means. It’s lovely to see how many that understand what I mean .. people don’t have to agree with me, so long they respect where I’m coming from. *smile
I think Rudolf and his mate will get a break this year, because what I understand Santa has been drinking Red Bull for weeks now … so he as got wings. *laughing.
Eha, 2021 … will be better – I have full confidence, but we can’t be counting on that everything will go back to normal again … we will never get our old normal back, but we will get a new normal … and let us make sure that we make it better than then the old. So all the suffering, deaths and despair have been in vain. So please bring on the vaccine … and 2021 and let us make the best out if it … and let us start to enjoy things again.
Vivi – I was very lucky yesterday because two of the posts I read first matched in feelings and also were so close to how I thought. You presented issues I would have found it difficult to explain in a ,manner to which others could relate . . . All the Christmas feelings one ‘normally’ espouses are part of me . . . I just ‘spread’ them around all year . . .I feel I am fortunate to have reached ‘the lucky age’ – naturally many will neither understand nor agree . . . but others do . . . that does not change how I feel Frankly, I am not even thinking of ‘old’ or present’ or ‘new’ ‘normals’ . . . life will progress and matters will get better and we all will live the best way we can . . . Being medically trained I am in no hurry for the vaccine . . . I can afford to watch, evaluate and see ! In spite of a current unfortunate and large outbreak in my state thanks to an incomer from the UK millions of locals will not have a ‘normal’ Yule – y’know dearHeart – most here just roll their eyes, laugh, swear and say ‘here we go again’ !!
Wivi, I am sad that Christmas is hard for you, and also sad that your trips were cancelled like those of many others including ours. I think it will be a quieter holiday this year and sincerely hope most people will be sensible and stay home (although of course many will not). I agree it is simply crazy to spend money one doesn’t have, but so many come under so much pressure to deliver “happiness” through expensive gifts – when in fact some extra love and homemade cookies might deliver the same joy. Anyway, we are at home as you are and I will admit I do love the music (for a while anyway). We do Christmas more simply these days and enjoy the festive lights and atmosphere. But I do not go anywhere near stores and shopping!! Here’s to looking forward to 2021 and beyond.
Tina, thank you for your lovely and straight comment. Christmas is not hard for me … but I think it has totally derailed many years ago. Maybe this year Christmas will be closer to what it should be. That we are more thankful for what we have and what we receive. I hope so!! When my mum lived we just spent the days .. no Christmas tree … no presents and on Christmas Eve & Day I helped out in a soup kitchen.
Can’t do that anymore because of the problems with my feet. Otherwise I would have done this Christmas. It can only be better … for 2021. and I hope we have learned the way we think and act, so not all this suffering has been in vain. 2021 … can only be better. *smile
I think you’re right Viveka, this year will be the closest we’ll get to the original idea of Christmas. And hopefully we’ll all remember going forward what we learned this year about what is truly important to us.
Tina, I couldn’t agree more. Let us learn … let us be more humble. *smile
Oh Viveka, I know, I know…But your post is a gem – and I love Lutfisk too! As a child I completely hated it…the smell, the feel in my mouth…just could not eat it. As a grown up, I quite love it. It’s the sauce making it a heavenly dish.
You know, I loved Christmas when I was a child, and when our children grew up. Now I love the lights and the togetherness with my family. I feel so sorry you have stay in your apartment and not in the exciting surroundings you choose for “Christmas” yourself. But I wish you a calm and cosy Christmas and a Better New Year – 2021 cannot possibly be worse than 2020, can it?
A-C, I didn’t like the smell neither … but grandma did the best mustard sauce – and her “Lutfisk” is the best I ever eaten. Nobody cook do it like she did. Because in catering you work like a mad horse 5 weeks up to Christmas with the Christmas Buffet madness and then you had 3 days to recover and than the New Year Madness toke over.
I don’t know … bring on 2021 and the vaccine – and let us start a new normal.
A-C, thank so much … I will be okay! Thursday is Thursday … roughly 48 times per year. Love you!
Love you too, Viveka – and I know we will see each other again next year, in Denmark!
Yes, bring on 2021 and Denmark. *smile
♥
Such beautiful pictures! I didn’t feel Christmas-y this year, until I saw your gallery, which reminded me that there are good, kind people in the world. And most of them, like you, don’t necessarily get “into” Christmas!
Thank you so much for the pingback … always so faithful support.*smile
And a HEARTY thanks for your lovely comment. It’s nice to see how many there is that understand what I mean. I thought I was going to step on many toes.
These photos are beautiful, Vive! Hope we can start traveling in 2021. We also cancelled four trips this year. We normally donate money to unfortunate people during the holiday season. Wish you a peaceful Christmas.
Amy, I’m sure that 2021 will bring us a new normal and let us do the best of it … and let make our new normal a lot better than the old one because it’s wasn’t really so good we thought it was. We should look after the unfortunate people all 365 days, we can save the whole world, but those we help every month … will get help. I wish you and your near ones a healthy and pleasant Christmas.
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Viveka–sending hugs to you. Let’s ring in a better New Year with 2021.
Lola … I’m all for that. Bring on 2021 … and the vaccine.
I found myself nodding along in agreement to your post. One of my most pleasant winter solstices was when friends from four different countries in three continents went skiing together on lonely slopes. Lots of snow and the village had lovely lights. Our days were full of exercise and evenings of conversation while we made our very eclectic dinners. I was a novice skier, and the Swede in the group gave me a few pointers. We talked a bit about winter food, and I remember lutfisk, probably from that conversation. I haven’t tasted it yet.
“Lutfisk” is not for everybody … in some parts of Sweden is served with white sauce and white potatoes. At least here in the South, we enjoy it with bacon and strong mustard sauce. In my childhood, my grandma put the dried fish in soap water for weeks up to Christmas – and the water had to be shifted every day the last 3 weeks. Nobody could cook Lutfish as my grandma did .. and same with her mustard sauce.
Thank you so much for your visit … and for taking time “talking” to me. I wish you a pleasant Christmas and only the best for 2021!
Nice photos.
Thank you, John! *smile
🙂 Dear Wivi,
enjoy your holidays! it will be very different for me, too. But I am looking forward to it anyhow, especially since I will be on a holiday from work for 2 weeks, so I can just read, blog and enjoy myself.
Take care and many hugs
Claudia xo 🙂
Dia, it was lovely talking to you the other night. So looking forward to 2021 … new plans will be forfilled. *smile You enjoy yourself … with quality time. Delight yourself.
ManyFeelGoodHugs.