Blogmas 2020: Why Christmas This Year is Different

by Roxanne C.
Blogmas 2020 Day 1 of 12

I haven’t been blogging consistently this year due to many reasons, all of which meant that I just couldn’t spare the time nor energy. But now that things are much more settled around here, I’m really looking to get back into blogging more often like I used to, and what better way than to begin with Blogmas 2020?

This year will be the first time I’m attempting Blogmas, so I’ll go gentle and do a 12-day one instead of 24. I’m aiming to upload a blog post on every even-numbered date up till 24th Dec, so that’s really a good timeline that fits well with the month!

This year will be the first time we’re not heading back to France in about 10 years for me, so it feels a little weird. But I guess without the hassle of packing, wearing layers and dealing with a baby on a long-haul flight, it is a good thing. I’m already missing the snow, great food, shopping and family time but there is a first for everything.

For the first time ever, Xav and I are hosting Christmas in our home. Well, sort of. We’re going to do Christmas Eve dinner at our place but won’t be counting down because otherwise AurĂ©lie won’t go to bed on time (she’s sensitive to sound). On Christmas Day itself, we’ll head to my sister’s place for presents and lunch!

Xav and I are thinking of baking our own log cake, so we’re on the search for some fun recipes. We have our tree already up in our living room and some presents already wrapped around it. I’ve just done the last of my Christmas shopping last night and am really excited to get them in the mail so I can start wrapping them up. It’s really the wrapping of presents that gets me all excited but I’m not sure why.

This year has been absolutely bonkers, and I’m so happy we’re still celebrating Christmas despite being stuck in Singapore and not being able to have more than 5 visitors come over. I’ve also come to accept the significant changes my life has gone through over the past 2 years, since having had our first baby. I’ve realised in recent weeks that I could either keep wishing for something different or be thankful for what I already have – and being grateful for the present actually makes me more contented with life.

So this Christmas will be the first time in a long while where I think I’ve come to finally accept who I’ve become – yet again. I may be taking a break from being that career-fighting woman to be sort of a homebody for now but my family comes first (also because there isn’t a better biological time to be popping babies). My career can wait a few years but my babies cannot and should not have to.

Christmas has always been my favourite time of the year because everything is slowed down. People are more mellow, the days are shorter, there are less flare ups, and trees are pretty. Then it’s followed by New Year’s Day, then my birthday, and then Chinese New Year for us. So it’s basically the start of about 3 months of celebrations. Who wouldn’t like that?

I hope you’ll have a meaningful Christmas this year, and I look forward to the rest of the blog posts that I’ll be putting up this month!