My Christmas Wishes

This week's Britmums blog post is very apt for this time, asking what are my Christmas Wishes.

Well there are many things I want and NEED, such as a watch, a new mobile phone, although I am halfway there with my husband's old one as he got a new one recently.  So now I have a 3 yr old phone instead of 6 (dinosaur stylee, but it works more importantly)!

But there are two things I always want for Christmas, and it probably sounds corny but believe me is true.  I want a reasonably secure financial / job situation and my children to be happy.  Anything else I can go without, but my kids, nothing else matters to me.  I have had plenty of Christmases, but children got so much more out of it and I get joy by seeing them be happy, what more could I want.

Times are tough and presents will be few, so to give them more, I am happy to go without.  My sister in law called my husband yesterday to say, 'let's buy only for the kids' and I completely agree.  Money is tight, but to give them a happy Christmas and to be together is far more important than any watch or perfume or other stuff which is nice but you dont really want or need.

I always try to remember how lucky I am at this time to have a family who I love, to be with, food on the table and a roof over my head.  Not everyone is so lucky, people sleeping in the cold, children in developed countries who dont get ANYTHING at this time, should not be forgotten.  And of course, we should remember why Christmas is here, not because of Hallmark.  Im not particularly religious and each to their own, but it should not be forgotten.

I try to bring my children up to be happy and appreciative for what they have, not always easy when surrounded by consumerism and they are still quite young, but its important I think.  Things are not easy in these times, and Im almost sure my Christmas wish of a healthy bank account, will not magically appear, but one thing that will is my children's happiness on that day.