Everyone I love is here, all at once.

This year I’ve decided to get into the Christmas spirit. It’s not like I don’t normally, but I guess that this year I’m feeling extra spirity. I’m not sure what brought this on - maybe I’ve walked past the Myer Christmas window display too many times. But you know what? I’m tired of pretending to be cooler than Christmas.

I think it’s fair to say that most little kiddies in the Western world love a bit of Christmas. When I was little, one of my Dad’s friends (who is American too) would always have a ‘tree-trimming’ party at his house. On arrival, everyone was required to put at least one decoration on their giant tree - and then everyone would catch up with old friends, drink egg-nog, sing Christmas carols and eat ginger bread. Now call me daft, but I just can’t see what’s not to like about that. Christmas decorations are like evidence that someone has prioritised fun, tradition, beauty and festivity over practicality. Plus, this family had a trampoline so their parties were pretty much the highlight of my calendar year.

My Anonymous mum really comes into her own at Christmas. I think it’s a combination of the joy of having all her family in the same room, and the stress of having all her family in the same room. My sisters and I revert back to being excited kiddies, while someone tries to remember all the Christmas traditions that we have accumulated over the years (more and more this someone is me). Best of all, mum makes special Christmas bread that we call ‘Special Christmas Bread’ that has icing on it (someone tell be what’s not to like about icing for breakfast?). The highlight of the morning is seeing whether the dough has risen overnight, even though no-one really cares (except mum), because it has icing on it anyway. Then we all pile into the car to go to my auntie’s house, arguing that the person with the smallest hips should go in the middle seat. And then measuring.

I definitely acknowledge that this is the wrong year for me to decide to get gifty, given that I have got no job. But as grown-ups always say (and I have boringly noticed myself saying), it’s the thought that counts. And it really really is. As a kid, mum-anon would take my sisters and I to the $2 Shop, where we’d spend ages trying to find that perfect special thing for each member of our family. It was great, and my dad still has the $2 mug I gave him when I was five. To me, the tradition of giving gifts is like permission to show someone that you care about them, and a reason to think about what is special and different about them.

Here are the only bad/sad things I could think of about Christmas:

1. Lots of people can’t afford presents.
2. Lots of people will be missing friends and family.
3. I’m sure I’m missing the point of Christmas on a religious level.
4. Useless stuff is bad for the environment.
5. Christmas episodes of The Simpsons.
6. Sequels to Christmas movies, though the originals are often winners i.e. ‘The Santa Claus’ with Tim Allen.

But I don’t think these things mean that people should get angry at Christmas. I guess it means thinking about how we celebrate the holiday, and why. The Finn Brothers have a song called ‘Won’t Give In’ and my favorite line is ‘Everyone I love is here, all at once”. I’m not sure what the Finn's meant when they wrote that line, but this is definitely what Christmas means to me. I’m lucky enough to have everyone I love, for one day, all in the same place to watch Christmas episodes of The Simpsons, fight over who gets the middle seat, exchange gifts, listen to Crowded House and eat icing for breakfast.

And there’s no way I’m cooler than that.

Here is me standing in front of Christmas things, as proof that I am pro-Christmas.