This year, as happens every second year in our family, we are in the ‘off’ year. We meet with our family on Boxing Day. 

We plan to share Christmas Day with a number of good friends from within our community who are all in the ‘off’ year. 

I have a problem with Christmas now as our family has made an executive decision to limit the presents on the family Christmas Day.

Each family will buy one Kris Kringle for a child, the name drawn out of a hat beforehand. The children have already received so much ‘stuff’ before they even arrive for our family lunch.

It’s a sensible decision but I am claiming exemption from the umpire’s rules. I will be in trouble!

I  LOVE buying a pressie for each grandchild so they will still receive a present from Nanna and Grandpa, even if only a small one.

There is a Star Wars book here, a Thomas Engine there, a magazine subscription, (to Poppy or Wacky, local magazine productions), a huge fantasy novel (that’s for the 15 year old) or some new clothes.

I have a grandson who celebrates his birthday on Christmas Eve. He deserves special commiserations.  

Last week I was in the audience in Melbourne at an annual Christmas dance concert, there to admire two of my granddaughters.

The concert began at 6 pm and finished sometime after 10.30.

At one stage  Lucy whispered to her mother ‘Nanna has been asleep for a while Mum’.

I know I didn’t miss Lucy’s one entrance for the night as that was fairly early on, and I think/hope I caught all three of Gabrielle’s. It was a long night but I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.

Grandpa is excused from this event as he becomes overwhelmed with what he calls ‘the noise’.

It is very loud and excitable music, not Grandpa’s style at all. Better we leave him at home.

We know Christmas is not always a time of joy for all people, but for some a time of sadness, of fear, of loneliness.

The homeless will receive lunch at least, and certainly will have people sharing the day with them at one of several lunches being organised by various generous groups.

It‘s hard for most of us to imagine walking in the shoes of someone who is truly homeless and alone.

There will be families where domestic violence could suddenly explode. Women’s refuges have their peak period over Christmas, and police prepare for the inevitable call-outs.

Our region has a poor record for this time of the year. There were 193 call-outs between December 14 and January 3 last year.

Remember the refugees, particularly children, living far from their homelands, away from their relatives and friends, and behind barbed wire.

They have escaped persecution in their homeland but they face hopelessness every day in their new land.

Wouldn’t it be great if Malcolm Turnbull released all refugees held in camps who are Australia’s esponsibility, by the end of the Christmas holidays? That would be a dream!

I wish everyone a gentle and loving Christmas season. Be kind to yourselves and others. Stay safe.