The miracle of a Christmas teacake and the importance of traditions

So today was earmarked for the last minute food shopping. You know the drill, you have a list, which you must stick to at all costs. There can be no diversions, no what ifs, no maybe we should get, no wouldn't it be nice if we… and definitely no going down an aisle that does not contain what you are there for. You get in and you get out, hopefully in a reasonable amount of time, unscathed and still able to communicate with each other on some level.

You stick to the plan or it all goes belly up.

It started pretty well despite the unnecessary amount of discussion over the size of a turkey crown. There were also a few back tracks for missed items, which led to a debate about the importance of writing a list in the order produce was laid out within the store. We pulled that one back from the brink.

Then we came to the last item on the list, a box of chocolate teacakes. There were only large boxes and there are not that many of us for Christmas any more. The large family gatherings of previous years have dwindled as they do for lots of people. Years pass, people pass. siblings form new families and new traditions, as is the nature of life.

I wanted the teacakes. It was something we always had when we were young. Then in later years when I hosted Christmas lunch my mum always brought us a box of teacakes. They remind me of childhood, of family Christmases and of my mum. But, my hubby said we didn’t need the teacakes, there were too many, we already had plenty of stuff in the house, we don’t eat that much chocolate, it will be a waste, etc, etc.

We didn’t get the teacakes, which is a surprise as my usual comment would be “you’re not the boss of me’. I was annoyed, I couldn’t believe he couldn’t see what was important to me and why. He has his own traditions such as Christmas cake with cheese, part of his Durham childhood, (apparently it’s a north of England thing) so he should ‘get it’.

Back home I started to unpack the shopping, hubby disappeared out to the shed only to shortly reappear with a box he had hastily wrapped in a towel. “It was going to be properly wrapped and put under the tree” he said, “but I think you need it before Christmas day”. He handed me the item, I lifted the towel and there was a box of chocolate teacakes. And just like that Christmas had arrived.

Happy Christmas everyone, I hope you get to enjoy your own little Christmas miracle.

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