a very camel christmas

I had an odd moment in a shop while looking listlessly at Xmas decorations tonight. I saw a little purple camel, designed to hang on your tree, and I thought "how bizarre - camels for Xmas!" I was thinking of the fantastic camel window display at Kirks too - how totally and utterly unconnected to the holiday season. Weirdos.

Except of course it's not. Camels are much more connected to the reason for the season than holly and red breasted robins and snow and candy canes, and even Santa Claus really.

But it just goes to show how the current popular norms around Xmas pervade even the mind of a cynic like myself. I can't help trying to treat my family and friends - I just want to see them smile and feel special, because they are. It's silly that I have to show this through gifts, especially as in recent years I've done quite a good deal of heartfelt (and very much meant) mushy cards, but every year I buy them stuff or make them things and hope that they'll all like whatever little thing I have angsted over.

I had a lovely day with my family on Sunday - we had Crimbo early as I will be away. It really is so much more rewarding when their are children involved, and my two little nieces didn't disappoint. We gave one of them a possum puppet, from the Maruia catalogue, and she immediately went around biting everyone with it and wanted to take it into the bath with her. She probably would have been as happy with a sock version, but in these days when we are so time poor, it's hard to find the time to make presents any more. I have struggled to just do my usual baking this year and have no idea when I'm actually going to deliver it to the recipients.

I miss my own family at Xmas when I'm away - The Man In The Comfy Chair makes up for their abscence a lot, but nothing can replace the smile and glee of those little rascals I call my nieces. It's not just the entertainment of watching them knock about the house, it's the open hearted way they approach everything, from wrapped parcel to new foodstuff to surprise guests. I wonder when I lost that sense of hope and optimism about the world, when I became just another consumer.

Why they'd even appreciate a camel for Xmas, whereas I would probably balk at the bad breath and the spitting. And wonder where I was going to put the damn thing. I guess the window display at Kirks might have some room come Boxing Day?