Stoep Talk: Christmas Spirit, what is it?

For those of us who don’t have little children, who by now would have compiled a long list of presents and kept reminding us Christmas is a-comin’, it comes as a shock that Christmas is just around the corner.

City life, from October on, gives us continual reminders. Decorations are up in the shops. Jingles play continually. By now we’ve attended book club Christmas parties, the office Christmas parties, yoga Christmas parties, tennis club Christmas parties and so on. The local pantomime is booked so we are all hyped up and ready for it. Thank goodness for the Tourism Office’s newsletter that lets us know that Karoo carols-by-candlelight will be happening on 30 November and the Christmas market on 13 December.

For those of us who will not be up to our armpits in picking and bottling fruit and keeping our gardens wet, during the little time left we can think creatively as to how we can bring this spirit into our homes.

Instead of the commercial Christmas tree, how about buying an indigenous tree, bringing it into your house for Christmas, decorating it “à la Karoo”?

How about the American idea of baking cookies and taking them around to your friends, so you all end up with a fantastic selection, and at the same time show that you care for them.

Identify a family that you know is short of cash (and there are plenty of them around) and make up a hamper of food for them.

Invite single or lonely people to join you on Christmas Eve or on the day.

A Merry Christmas to you all and let us remember that the Christmas spirit comes from the heart and not the bottle.

Queen Vic