Mahinda’s Little World

Well, almost. The festive season has rather crept up on me this year. Maybe it’s the distinct lack of Christmas parties…although, to be honest, I have been to several…but none of them felt Christmassy enough.

Now, as the vaguely atheistic child of a Buddhist-by-default* and a not-particularly-bothered Hindu, Christmas isn’t something I’ve ever celebrated…well, the spiritual side, anyway. No presents, basically.

* In much the same way that most of the UK population is Protestant.

Of course, I’ve lived all my life in a fundamentally Christian country, with Christian festivals — my friends celebrate Christmas, to varying degrees admittedly, but most with at least a nod to the whole spiritual "Christ was born on this day" thing.

I like the festival — it’s clearly an EFAP (Excuse For A Party), and I get some time off work…we’ve got to have a real tree, with sparkly stuff as well. However, I don’t send cards and I don’t give presents. But are these part of the spiritual side, or just the party side? It just doesn’t seem "right" to me. Every so often, I have sent a few cards, and the odd gift…but I’ve always felt a bit of a charlatan doing so. Even when it’s a mass email "card" — this year, I’ve not even had the time to do that.

The idea of sending cards is a good one — it’s a handy excuse to drop someone a line you’ve not seen for ages, or send out a quick "this is what I’m up to" update. And that brings us on to the trigger for this post. Christmas cards that I have received. Quite a few, in fact — I got home tonight to find five or six on the letters shelf, bringing the total up to 20.

I appreciate every single one — I mean, who doesn’t appreciate a (non-bill) envelope addressed to themself, expressing best wishes from a far-away friend? The problem is, with each one comes a little twinge of guilt.
Aaaaw, so and so have sent me a card — I’ve not seen them in aaages! I wonder what they’re up to? I really should drop them a line…

…and then I never do. I’m RUBBISH at keeping in touch.

All these lovely people have sent me cards this year (in no particular order):

• Will and Cath — Most Welsh Card
• Mark, Karen, Emma and Ciaran — Wintriest Card (brrr!)
• Emma — Most Corporate Card
• Pete and Wendy — Penguinest Card
• Katy and Rick — Sockiest Card
• Pete and Sarah — Belliest Card
• Workmate Maxine — Most Unexpected Card
• Jen and Will — Smallest Card
• Alsion — Most Handmade Card
• Natalie — Squiggliest-Signed Card
• Claire — Most Informative Card
• Linden — Cutest Card (it’s got a baby seal on it!)
• Helen and Dimitris — Snowiest Card
• Matt, Fran, Charlotte and Andrew — Most Fertile Card
• Chris and Sarah — Classiest Card
• Debbie and Mike — Most Joyous Card
• Howell — Most Random Card (Kermit the Frog, Japanese best wishes AND a haiku!)
• Sarah (Tall, I think) — Most Pastel Card
• Becky S — Most Christian Card
• Sarah M — Smelliest Card (having shared an envelope with some vanilla pods)

As for my favourite…well, Claire’s, Chris & Sarah’s, Tall’s and Alsion’s are all up there…but it’s got to be Sarah M’s. As though stuck-on trees, little shiny balls and the faint aroma of vanilla weren’t enough, it’s full of sparkly purple prose. Well, sparkly purple writing, anyway