Now I know that there are not many people who have their Christmas shopping completed, wrapped and under the tree before Christmas Eve. The last minute rush is almost traditional for some. I remember occasionally being kicked out of shopping malls at 9 o'clock on Christmas Eve as the worn out staff tried not to lose their cool in their effort to get rid of the annoying last minute shoppers. The roller doors came down and the big burly security guard stood stoic and grim, shaking his head at pathetic protests of desperation. He did not look at all like a jolly Santa. But there was that dreadful sinking feeling that the shops were shutting one after another and there were still presents not yet bought. Someone in the family was going to miss out on Christmas Day. Oh the nightmare of Christmas.
It's not supposed to be like that. Maggie Beer has a new Christmas recipe book out and Nigella Lawson, Jamie Oliver and all the other TV cooks make Christmas look perfectly magical. The preparation of food and the consumption of the feast with family and friends is supposed to be joyous and infinitely easy. Or so we are told. I don't think anyone of us mere mortals really believe that, now do we? The preparation of a hot cooked meal for a host of relatives is no easy feat. It is successfully done in many kitchens in many houses all over the world but it is certainly not easy. And in countries like New Zealand and Australia, it is a stiflingly hot task.
I am fond of the memory of the first Christmas I spent in Australia. It was just Roger and I. We took a picnic basket of crackers, cheese, grapes, chocolate and a bottle of wine to the Botanic Gardens in Melbourne and sat under a tree each with a book to read. We spent the afternoon in quite pursuit of Peace on Earth. Now that was magical to me. In the past the lead up to Christmas, throughout my library career, was usually full of stressed customers and the pressure of booking in leave three months in advance or missing out. I often had no idea in September what I wanted to do at Christmas so invariably I would agree to work through and let other staff take holidays. And every year, come the first week of January when everyone else looked rested and relaxed from their holidays, I would regret the decision.
So this year I have some advice on how to beat the end of year stress and the last minute Christmas panic. Here it is.
Take your break now and go on a mini holiday in the last couple of weeks before Christmas. Don't wait till after when you are already too stressed to wind down. Avoid the shopping malls with their endless earworm Christmas music. You will never get it out of your head. Do your shopping in small towns rather than big cities. There is less stress and less hype to distract and pressure you into buying in panic. In fact, come to Lockhart.
This Friday night the town is having late night opening and a street festival to get the community out enjoying the season together. And if you are still looking for gifts at that point, then there are a number of opportunities in Green Street to find something that you are unlikely to get elsewhere (certainly not at the price). The Blue Bird has good books and unique handmade retro crafts for sale and the other shops, Heaven in Rags, Intuition, Ginge and Fluffs are all places that offers something quite different and special in a world full of mass produced and chain stores. There is a relaxed atmosphere in Lockhart this Christmas, come and catch the bug.
