How to celebrate life more
As this holiday season comes to an end and I am getting ready to go back to the office tomorrow, I have been reflecting on the past two weeks celebrating Christmas.
For a number of reasons, my partner and I couldn’t go to France this year and it was the first time we found ourselves alone in London for the holidays. As we both come from different cultures (France and South Korea) it was a chance to snuggle up and explore what would make a good Christmas for both of us.
As the average European, I looked forward to family time, cooking and sharing traditional foods, wrapping and exchanging presents, and staying cosily at home. As a devout Christian, my other half usually celebrates by going to church and meeting up with friends.
So as we found ourselves away from family and old friends from back home, we decorated the house and celebrated our own way – with fewer gifts and somewhat fusion foods (we made a roast with kimchi and Korean side dishes), but still cooking and enjoying together.
We loved the cosy time and being in that suspended bubble of time where we could relax without thinking about work.
For me, being used to big family gatherings, it felt less “Christmassy” than usual. It was also more peaceful, and there was something special about creating our own take on old traditions.
I still had the sense of joy, hope and renewal, as long nights made way for lighter days, and the prospect of a new year just around the corner was exciting.
While our Christmas wasn’t textbook, and I still look forward to a big family celebration next year, it made me appreciate the importance of celebrating no matter what. It felt important to mark that time, as a way to feel connected to my relatives (who were all celebrating separately in France) but also to other people celebrating in their homes around the world, and to everyone who celebrated all the Christmases that came before this one.
It occurred to me that celebrating a traditional feast is a lovely way to celebrate life, mark the passing of time, and reflect on our place in the wider Human story.
It’s an opportunity to take some time out of our routine and create good times to remember and look forward to next year.
So here is my recipe for preparing a feast at home and making the day special:
- Think ahead, so you feel excited a few days (or weeks) in anticipation
- Prepare a delicious meal with treats you don’t often eat
- Decorate the house, whether you have guests or not
- Dress up as if someone important was coming
- Make up your own traditions, or put your own twist on old ones – there is no “wrong way”
- Give thanks for the day and who you celebrate it with
- Have fun! That’s the main point
Although I am sad to see this festive period come to an end, I look forward to celebrating properly at each opportunity next year – birthdays, national holidays, family celebrations and traditional feasts.
Next in the calendar are Lunar New Year, Pancake Day and a birthday. I’m already planning menus.
