It's beginning to feel (not a lot) like Christmas.

So it's Christmas eve. The festivities are well and truly apon us. Or are they?
I've been sensing an undercurrent of 'not feeling christmassy' this year and have been wondering why that is.
I think the unseasonably warm weather might have something to do with it. People do seem to associate December 25th with a crisp cold winters day.
The wearing of wooly jumpers and warm boots. The childhood reminiscences of trudging outside in the icy sludge after dinner to try out your new bicycle, roller skates or remote controlled car.
Sitting indoors by a roaring fire, drinking hot chocolate or mulled wine.
The Danish have a word "hygge" (pronounced "hooga") to describe this kind of feeling. It roughly translates to mean cosiness, and can be used to describe creating an atmosphere of warmth and comfort, spending a happy relaxed time with family and friends, or the types of items that reflect this feel, such as candles, soft furnishings and open fires.

I think most people would agree that Christmas is usually a very "hygge" time. A time of tradition and reflection.

I believe the clement weather dulls this usual yuletide feeling somewhat.

Or perhaps it's a cynicism that comes with ageing...
I do reflect more now on the pointlessness of Christmas, as I spend months searching for the ideal gifts for my friends and family. The exact same gifts that I was looking at last year or the year before!
I feel as though we may as well stand in a circle and pass money to the person on our left, then  the following year pass it back to the right.
Present buying seems ultimately more pointless and a waste of money.
I feel like there should be more to Christmas than bottles of flavoured vodka, iPhone touch gloves and self stirring mugs, especially when some people go without.
Of course it's different for the Children in the family. The time is magical for them and I believe they should be thoroughly spoiled.
I just feel like there's too much commercialism and too much pressure to conform. I want to help people more, especially at this time of year, and spread some "hygge" love to those that have little.
So I volunteered to do some money collecting, and I sorted out a load of clothes to donate.
I've done a bit, although it's only small.
Why not try and do something small yourself too. You never know the difference it could make to someone's life.
If you spread some Christmas joy you might end up feeling more christmassy yourself.