Try to avoid what the sarcastic Just D is singing about.

There is another side of Christmas too. Not just the fairy-tail happy part but Christmas stress and regret around bad Christmas memories. I really hope that Christmas will turn out in a good way for all of you and you guys out there who not really fond of Christmas will cope with these days. And try to stay away from too much alcohol during the holidays. Or you know what …stay away from it totally. Especially if children are involved. In the children´s convention by the United Nations we can read about children´s right to have an alcohol-free upbringing. We should also think about it that not everybody has “the picture perfect family”. If there is such thing at all, so try to understand people who are choosing to celebrate in a different way than the traditional. Everybody should feel good about their own choices. There has to be a way around it. It´s obviously not the end of the world if we celebrate Christmas differently. I should know that this year! The end of the world should have come on Friday. The Mayas predicted so. Well, they were wrong. Good for us. Maybe we should celebrate that too.

Myself, I am going to spend Christmas Eve with friends since my family is not from town and we live miles from each other. Besides the ticket prices are horrifying around this time of the year. One of my friends from Lappland says she is staying here over Christmas because her whole trip would cost her 7000 Swedish crowns for 3 days and then she has to come back on the 27th as well. So if you read this Santa, give us a break and maybe a discount card to SJ (Svenska Järnvägar). I also have to work between Christmas and New Year´s Eve. I might hang out with some relatives of mine on the 25th but nothing is settled. I have had a rough work-period since this autumn so I have to admit that I feel kind of relieved to skip the musts this year for the first time. I could do more working out, sleeping and stuff around the house that I haven´t been able to do because of late working hours and extra projects I am committed to. And I know I will see everyone in February when we will be just as happy as it would have been Christmas or Midsummer or some other celebration.

So wherever you are and whoever you are with, I hope you will find these upcoming holidays relaxing.

Merry Christmas & Happy holidays!

p.s. Big up for the people who work during the holidays just to make your and my Christmas safe and sound.