The Pogues’ Fairytale of New York was on repeat on my way to work this morning.
It’s one of my all time favourite Christmas songs; I feel it’s a nice balance to all those Santa and reindeer songs.
It’s a fun slightly inappropriate song reminding us that life goes on even at Christmas.
And life isn’t always pretty, especially around the holidays – because that’s usually when you reminisce and perhaps remember some not so fun times past.

My mom and I were talking about Christmases past last night, in an attempt to recollect our Christmas experiences and perhaps create new traditions; we dredged up some unpleasant memories.
They say you can’t have the sweet without the sour.
My earliest memories of Christmas are also of my grandmother; I spent my earliest Christmases with her till she passed away.
I remember the church services, having to dress up and the food – my grandmother baked a lot during the holidays, she used to make individual cakes for us that we got to design.
There was so much joy and merriment then, one year my brother Sam had a party for the kids in the neighbourhood.
I don’t think we’ve been that collectively happy ever again.

Christmas changed when we moved away, and during my parents’ tumultuous final years together, the holidays took on a transient nature.
Our time together felt temporary, the celebrations seemed fleeting, even friends that came into our lives were passing through.
I took a while, years would go by before that giddy childhood feeling came back.
I took the happiest memories, and added on newer ones, – it’s a little like collecting Christmas ornaments…
Some are special than others, and those are the ones you keep for years to come.