How to Survive Christmas 2020 ...(By someone who’s already survived a massive brain haemorrhage)

Christmas 2020, like this whole year, is going to be a bit different… No office parties, many of us foregoing larger gatherings and missing out on meeting loved ones.

And it sucks.

However: I want to share a fundamental thought I had in hospital after my brain haemorrhage.

I do this in the hope that if, at any point, you are struggling this festive season, you can refocus and realise that things will pass and things will improve.

The thought I had was this:

Concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other.

After my haemorrhage, I was left unable to walk and speak properly, let alone read (double vision) or write. My recovery has been long, arduous and still continues.

Seven years on, I still walk only with a walker (though I’m working on that) and I cannot drive. There were going to be no overnight changes - my recovery has been/and is a marathon.

If I am honest, I don't really remember my first Christmas after my brain haemorrhage. This is probably my way of protecting myself because it was a really upsetting time, full of worry and shortly before a very big and very scary operation in February 2014.

You would expect me just to be happy to be alive, of course I was, but I was actually absolutely furious I was in that position in the first place! Although I do recall trying to make the best of it because the children were tiny.

So this Christmas, use what I have learnt, concentrate on one very simple specific 'thing' per day it will:

1. Make it achievable, and

2. Give your day structure.

This will add up to make a great Christmas full of precious memories.

I have 7 years experience of navigating a highly restrictive Christmas, albeit this will be my first with face masks and social distancing.

When I was walking and driving I used to do loads: one year we took the kids to see FOUR different Father Christmases, went to two Christmas services and did the Christmas event at Colchester Zoo all in the same week. I was absolutely exhausted (and christmased out).

The last 7 Christmases have been very different, but no less fun.

The emphasis is now on easy Christmas crafts, baking, being together and making the Elf on the Shelf do some funny things.

I have attached examples of what I do (so very simple) taken from my 'to-do' advent calendar, together with some photos of Xmas crafts for ideas.

These were things that I did a little of when I was rushing around but I like to think of this more 'Back to Basics' approach as still an opportunity for me to make wonderful Christmas memories.

So if you’re struggling with a simple Christmas, just concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other.

And just so you know, I'm not Supermum. I'll also be drinking a truck load of Gin and eating a substantial amount of cake… it is the festive period after all!

There is light at the end of the tunnel. We have got this.