The Moment My Christmas Became Good Again
For many years I was ostracised from my family by my ex. He hated Christmas. Whenever I got out the Christmas Tree he complained. He wouldn’t see my family, his family and ‘felt forced’ into buying presents. On Christmas Day he would go out on his motorcycle whilst I was left to make our Christmas dinner and pay a quick visit to my family.
That all changed at the end of 2007. By that point I had left Mr Scrooge. Grace was almost 1 year old and I was living with my Mum. Suddenly I was involved in a proper family Christmas again. Grace experienced her first surrounded by people we loved – and who loved us. I will never forget waking up on Christmas Day sharing Grace’s first stocking with her.
A majority of my family were there. 4 of my brothers and sisters came, my Uncle, my Granddad, my Step-dad and, of course, my Mum. We all sat and opened our presents, and, despite the fact that I was going through a rough time, I was finally happy. I remember cuddling my Mum and crying because, finally, I was experiencing a Christmas that I hadn’t had in a long time.
Then, a couple of years later, Ross came along together with a new kind of happiness. That year we spent Christmas at his house with him and his family. We put a bed together in his spare room for Grace, constructing it as Christmas songs played. We felt so festive and excited.
We woke up on Christmas morning and Ross went into the lounge without us to lay out all the presents whilst I started the cooking. The rest of his family turned up and finally we were allowed into the lounge where Grace’s eyes lit up and the song ‘I Really Don’t Hate Christmas’ from the show ‘Phineas and Ferb’ was playing. Grace just kept telling everyone she was having the best time. One of the funniest moments had to be Grace’s poor face when we lit the Christmas pudding!
I think that the most special memory of that year though was Christmas Eve morning. Ross and I went to see Grace in her new bed. We lay down with her and Ross put The Snowman on her CD player. We listened to the whole thing and, when it came to ‘Walking in the Air’ we took a cuddly toy each and made it fly. I couldn’t have been happier for me and my little girl. We had a man who loved Christmas as much as we did.
Now, every Christmas is a great Christmas. Ross, Grace and I have so much fun. The last few we have spent with Ross’ parents but this year I am excited again. We are spending it with my Mum but this time Ross will be with us. I can’t wait for him to experience my family’s side of Christmas!
As in previous years, we will travel to the destination where we are spending Christmas with all our festive songs playing on the CD. We will have a car packed with presents and full of festive cheer. But best of all, we will have each other.
This is my entry into the Transun competition to win a trip to Lapland.
So glad to see you enjoy Christmas again now, don’t ever let anyone break your lovely spirit x #MMWBH
Ah I’m so glad you escaped the misery your ex imposed on the festive season (and him!). There is nothing like being back with your family when you most need them. Sounds like you’ve got a good’un in Ross too hon, and Grace looks so thrilled with her huge pressie pile!! 🙂 X #sharewithme
Thanks Sam – me too! He was such a Scrooge. My family, Ross and his family all have a great groove going on now, and it is great to see Grace so happy 🙂 x
I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. As someone who lives 12000 miles away from his own and extended family, our family really only have each other over Christmas. I miss big family Christmas celebrations. May you find joy in yours.
Best Wishes
Gerhard
Familiality
Hi Gerard, welcome to my blog and thank you for commenting. That must be so hard for you to be that far away. I hope that you can celebrate as best you can and get to see them over Christmas at some point 🙂
i am so sad that you ever missed out on a cheery christmas and all it’s glory and happiness. Glad you found Ross and have had a much better experience as Grace got older and you all love Christmas as equally now. Its my absolute favorite time of year. May this year be even more merry! Thank you so much for linking up to Share With Me #sharewithme
I think of it now that I went through those sad times to appreciate what I have now even more 🙂 Thank you so much Jenny, and thanks for hosting x
Ah, how lovely! I think I’ve said before how happy the three of you always seem in your posts. How wonderful that you get to enjoy Christmas again. (That ex sounds reeeally pants.)
Thanks Karen – I am so pleased our happiness comes across. Yep, that is one word for him!! x
I’m so glad you found your way to a happier situation for yourself and your daughter – seriously, who could be so miserable at Christmas!
Hope you have many more lovely Christmas’s to come!
Xx
Thank you – I know, right?! x
I hope that you have a really great Christmas this year 🙂
Thank you 🙂 x
Reading this made me tingle with excitement for you all for the Christmas ahead. Sounds like that with Ross by your side you capture the most important thing about Christmas: Love.
Enjoy the preparations for the festive season.
Aww, thanks Monika. We certainly do! I hope you enjoy your preparations as well 🙂
This is such a warming story, and I’m so glad you’ve found your happy ending 🙂 I’m a Christmas nut, so there’s no way I could be with someone who didn’t like Crimbo and all things festive! You’re making me really look forward to Christmas now, it’s definitely one of my favourite times of year! #sharewithme
Thank you so much Becky 🙂 Christmas really is the best! I am excited already!! 🙂 x
Oh my lovely I can’t believe how mean your ex was, but am so pleased you’ve found Ross. He sounds awesome in every single way… Love the photo of all the pressies and a very happy looking Grace in the middle! We love Christmas in our house, both the girls are already countdown! #sharewithme PS.best of luck with the competition xx
Thank you so much gorgeous. He is pretty awesome (although I don’t tell him too often as I don’t want his head to get TOO big!). Thank you! We have our fingers crossed BIG TIME! xx
What a great post. Christmas is always a time of excitement in our house. The girls love it so much that for the last couple of years they’ve moved some of the decorations into their bedroom in the new year – it’s festive 365 days a year in there.
So glad you found someone to share these kind of moments with. And what a splendid beard he has too!
Thanks for the lovely compliment Andy. I love that your girls have Christmas all year round! And Ross also says thank you for the compliment on his beard – he is rather proud of it! Even better when it is grey and he looks like the man in red!! 🙂
I’m so sorry that you experienced really bad Christmasses in the past, but am so glad that you are so happy now. You really deserve to have the best Christmas ever, all of you!
Thank you so much Livi. Gotta experience the bad to appreciate the good I guess! 🙂 x
what a lovely post, I have to admit I could be related to Scrooge but did put effort into the season for the children
At least you make an effort Elaine, whatever you might feel like 🙂 Thanks for stopping by x
I love the magic and twinkle of Christmas and can’t imagine what it must have been like to live with a man who couldn’t make some effort to enjoy Christmas, knowing that you loved it so much. My Dad would quite happily give Christmas a miss, but he is always there with a smile and a few Bah Humbug! comments; which we pretend not to hear…It keeps him happy!
It is great that you have found happiness again with a man who loves you and your daughter dearly. I really hope you win that trip to Lapland…And if you do any room in your suitcase to squeeze little old me into?
I love it for exactly the same reason Debbie. It is great to know that your Dad makes an effort 🙂
Oh bless you, thank you so much, I am so lucky to have found him – even though it was later than planned! O would absolutely love to be able to take Grace to Lapland whilst she is still young enough to appreciate it xx
So hard at what could be and should be a really big family celebration when there’s one who doesn’t let the rest enjoy it. Definitely sounds like you’ve got a great family now who love celebrating together.
Absolutely right! We really are a happy family – already excited about Christmas! 🙂 x
This is so beautiful. I’m glad that your daughter will grow up with Christmases filled with love and family, the most important things in life xxx
Thank you so much Jo. There was a time when I thought she might just have me but not anymore. Such a happy family over here! 🙂 xx
What a touching story. I had a lump in my throat as I was reading it. It must have been tough to write. Ross seems like such a ray of sunshine in your lives. x
Thank you so much Mel. I had a lump in my throat as I typed it too – but I wanted to give my happy ending to everyone 🙂 He truly is xx