26 Dec ZIMBROS – 24 DECEMBER 2017 – CHRISTMAS AS A LIFESTYLE

We have a traditional family. In the years spent in Romania, Christmas always followed a certain course. The Christmas party at the kindergarten, the school party, the Christmas party at work, a meal full of traditional culinary delights at my father in law’s house and Christmas at home with the children. Delightful, really, delightful!

So this day is about sharing time together with friends and family, in pieces, all together or separately, in essence a celebration of “togetherness”.

Looking back in our lives, Christmas took different forms, starting with our first years of family life where we were wreaking the shopping malls running for presents and going to markets hunting the biggest  Christmas tree. Then followed the beginning of an eco awareness and we bought  a Christmas tree with roots and planted it after the “party”. In Portugal, we bought a plastic one and celebrated the Christmas on the beach. In Peru I spent my Christmas with my friends in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, we did not have a tree, even a plastic one, but we had a tree with pink and white flowers right in the garden that looked like some small ballerinas and we decorated it with lights.

As you probably know, we are in Brazil now. Talking with Lavinia and the kids with a bowl of fruit salad in front of us, we came to the conclusion that we are living this Christmas spirit every day. Well, we are all together, 24 hours out of 24, because we like and love this “togetherness” and we enjoy every day the little joy we offer each other, these small gifts that are not in any way related to money, but rather with … time, presence and attention.

This year, Christmas will be no less than a day like any other, with no red pants, Christmas tree, tinsel or gifts. I even decided that on Christmas  I will not wear pants, as Christmas tree we have a palm of all beauty right in front of the house, we wear tinsel in our heart and for the “Christmas gifts” we have a day of shopping scheduled in Florianopolis, without haste or any stress. Kind of relaxed mood!

I did a game together with the kids, each wrote on a piece of paper what he/she wants to eat and do on Christmas day. The following were decided:

Tomorrow we have movies, fruit salad and barbecued lobster. I am not the fancy type figure, but it’s 25 dollars/kg of lobster so mom this is for you not to be laughed of by your friends regarding our Christmas dinner.

It is laughable, that’s the idea, La Vita E Bella … param pam pam!!! :)))

We’ll take some breaks to relax on the beach and much more!

Tomorrow we celebrate the every day Christmas in our life, giving each other the best gift that is.. time, of course!

You see, it’s about intention and a decision and not about money when it’s about a happy Christmas. Christmas is a “free-together” state with patience, joy and warmth.  Money, all they do is make up for a time you worked and the spirit was lost, but now it’s back …… because it’s  Christmas time!

And I wish you all, a super very cool… Happy Christmas and may everybody have enlightened roads!

***

Avem o familie traditionala. In anii petrecuti in Romania Craciunul urma intotdeauna un anumit curs. Petrecerea de Craciun de la gradinita respectiv scoala, petrecerea de la locul de munca, masa plina de delicii culinare traditionale la socrii si Craciunul de acasa impreuna cu copiii. Misto, pe cuvant misto!

Adica aceasta zi este  o impreunare a energiei prietenilor si familiei extinse, pe bucati, impreuna sau separat, in esenta o sarbatoare a lui “ impreuna”.

Uitandu-ne in urma, Craciunul pentru noi a luat forme diferite, incepand cu primii ani in familie cand rupeam mallurile in cautarea de cadouri si pietele in cautarea celui mai mare brad de Craciun. Apoi au urmat Craciunurile in care am refuzat sa mai cumparam brazii de la Obor ca sa nu mai participam activ la” bradocidul” fiecarui an si am cumparat brazi cu radacina pe care i-am plantat imediat dupa terminarea “petrecerii”. In Portugalia am decis sa cumparam brazi de plastic dar sa petrecem Craciunul in natura, respectiv pe plaja cu bradul de Craciun impodobit si infipt in nisip. In Peru am petrecut Craciunul cu prietenii din Valea Sacra a Incasilor. Nu am avut brad nici macar de plastic dar am avut un copac cu flori roz cu alb ce pareau niste mici balerine,  chiar in gradina casei, pe care l-am impodobit cu luminite.

Dupa cum probabil stiti, acum suntem in Brazilia. Stand de vorba cu copiii si Lavinia la un bol de salata de fructe am ajuns la concluzia ca noi traim acest spirit al Craciunului in fiecare zi. Pai noi suntem tot timpul impreuna, 24 din 24, pentru ca ne place si iubim acest “togetherness” si ne bucuram zilnic de micile bucurii ce ni le oferim unii altora, aceste mici cadouri care nu tin de bani ci tin in special de…timp, prezenta si atentie.

Anul asta Craciunul va fi nici mai mult nici mai putin decat o zi ca oricare alta, fara chiloti rosii, brad, beteala si cadouri. Ba chiar am hotarat ca de Craciun sa nu port chiloti, pe post de brad avem un palmier de toata frumusetea chiar in fata casei, beteala avem in suflet iar pentru cadourile “ alea de Craciun” avem o programare de zi shopping in Florianopolis, fara graba, stres sau alergaturi in aglomeratie. La genul relaxat. Am facut  si un joc impreuna cu copiii fiecare a scris pe un biletel ce vrea sa manance si sa faca in ziua de Craciun.

S-au decis urmatoarele:

Maine avem zi de filme. Cu salata de fructe si homar la gratar. Chiar nu fac figuri dar este 25$ kilogramul de homar asa ca mama sa nu mai spui ca te fac de ras.

Suntem de ras, asta e si ideea, La Vita E Bella… pam para, pam, para!!! :)))

O sa facem si pauze sa ne relaxam intr-o plimbare pe plaja si cam atat!

Maine sarbatorim Craciunul din fiecare zi, oferindu-ne unul altuia ce avem mai de pret, adica timp!

Vedeti, e vorba de intentie si de o decizie si nu de bani pentru un Craciun fericit.

Craciunul e o stare de “liber-impreuna” cu rabdare, bucurie si caldura.

Banii, nu fac decat ca sa acopere un timp in care-ai muncit si spiritul a fost pierdut dar acum a revenit……ca doar e ziua de Craciun! 🙂

Si va doresc un super foarte tare… Craciun fericit si lumina pe drum!