Christmas is Close

As Christmas draws near I feel more and more lonely for family. The norm, these days, is for a quiet Christmas with just Richard and myself, just the two of us. The children will not be home again this year. You would think after 15 years I would be used to it, but I'm not. Evette, Ian and Lynda have spent one Christmas with us in the past 15. I have not had a Christmas at home in England in 30 years. Used to the fact of not having close family around? No, I'm not used to that fact.

Before we moved to Nipigon we lived in MacNutt, Saskatchewan, in the area that Richard's Great Grandfather Wilhelm (William) Mensch homesteaded. Richard has many cousins of various degrees living there. The four Christmas' we spent in MacNutt was not quiet. We had many invites to extended family gatherings and friends, beginning Christmas Eve running right through to New Years Day. There was no reason to have a quiet Christmas. But I still missed our children, and my family in England, but we were busy.

This will be our fifth Christmas in Nipigon, Ontario, during that time we have had two invites during Christmas week, last year it was for Christmas dinner. Maybe we have just got old and tired, we have stopped making the big turkey dinner. No more crackers to pull and silly paper hats to wear. I write very few Christmas Cards and talk on the phone to less and less of my family. This year will be particularly sad as there will be no phone call to or from my big brother Steven. Hopefully the rest of my family in England will be home for my call to wish them a Blessed Christmas.

The one part of Christmas I always love is the Church Services. Christmas Eve is the traditional Carol Service, the final hymn is usually 'Silent Night' and the candles are lit, lights turned out and voices raised in one accord singing the old familier words;
'Silent Night, Holy Night,
All is Calm, all is bright,
Round yon virgin mother and Child,
Holy Infant , so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.'
as the last verse is sung I move to the back of the Church ready to leave before the candles are blown out. We do not have Christmas Morning Service here and I miss that opportunity to worship on the day we celabrate the birth of our Saviour.

Christmas for me is about families yet mine is so fractured.