For many years as an adolescent, and for most of my adult life, I have saturated myself with popular Christmas music and the more traditional carols in the home and on my music system in the car from the start of advent.

I recall my mother saying to me when I sensed a loss of excitement and enjoyment of the music at Christmas time, that in her words “I had exhausted my appetite for it before Christmas had even begun”

I have noticed a change in my behaviour this year in respect of my exposure to listening to Carols at Christmas.

I did not really focus on Christmas until the weekend preceding it, when I actively began to seek those pleasures associated with the excitement of the Christmas season.

I have noticed that for the first time ever, i am still playing the Carols at Christmas in my car during the season of Christmas because I was not saturated with it before Christmas started.

This speaks to me of what it is like to be present.

I am present in the Christmas season at the appropriate time, rather than in advance of it.

This has helped with my levels of satisfaction, so that I have not had a feeling of intense excitement and anticipation before Christmas, leading to a sense of disappointment throughout it, and more than likely after it.

I am quite sure that when all the Christmas decorations come down on the Epiphany, I will be able to appreciate that I have enjoyed the season, but I will not be crushed by its having come to its natural end.

Carols at Christmas has enabled me to feel present, and it feels great!

Fast away the old year passes, fa la la la, fa la la la

Hail the new, ye lads and lasses, fa la la la, fa la la la

Happy New Year – I wish you all every blessing in the present moment of each day of 2016.

My next blog will be: Reading Resolution

William Defoe