Christmas message

 

             A month before Christmas Wokingham town comes together to change the mood. After the sombre remembrance of November 11th, and the spooky irreverence of Halloween, comes the ceremony to sing carols and switch on the Christmas lights. I always feel a special sense of happiness as the Market place defies the winter gloom with illumination, music and a sense of fun to come.

               Elsewhere in the constituency people find the Christmas decorations in the garage or the loft, dress the trees and think of preparing for the Christmas meals. Our thoughts turn to families. Parents and grandparents delight in their young acting in Nativity plays or performing in the school choir. There is none so old that cannot still capture a little of the magic of their early Christmas times  in the eyes of young children. We owe it to ourselves as well as to the children to sparkle a little for Christmas. Grown ups have to suspend their disbelief as well. We need to distil the magic, promote the dream, tell the old stories, and embellish our feast with something new.

           For Christmas is a living tradition. To Christians it is pre eminently a celebration of the birth of Christ, a Saviour of mankind. For others it is a welcome break from the daily round, a glorious mixture of religious festival and mid winter feast, with great stories and the towering figure of Father Christmas. It is a time to think more of others, to recognise their importance to us with gifts, cards and messages, a time to say thank you for service offered, a time to include those who would otherwise be lonely. Wokingham this year has added a living advent calendar to its seasonal events. It is a time to sing Christmas songs and carols, a time to work hard at home for the family, a time to relax as well to enjoy the spirit of the days.

          Christmas is a time for giving. So often as they say it is the thought that counts. The hand made present or the chosen gift need not be expensive. You do not have to buy   the biggest box from the store to impress. Good present giving is not about you but about the person you are giving it to.  Sometimes the best present of all is to give your time and care to those around you, and to help those nearby who otherwise would not have a great Christmas.

         I wish you all a very happy Christmas, and a more prosperous New Year. I hope everyone in your family will find  joy in your family Christmas.

8 Comments

  1. Barbara
    December 9, 2012

    Mr R a special wish for you at Christmas after all your hard work thru the past year with this blog. Its insight and provision of law, finances, and workings of our parliament, is a joy to read. You give us the chance to express our feelings on many different issues, and for that we should be grateful, freedom of expression.
    I wish you and your familiy good wishes for Christmas and the New Year, and a very Christian British Christmas with good will to all. I look forward to 2013 and your blog and the insights we are given. Many thanks for allowing us to join you.

  2. Nicol Sinclair
    December 9, 2012

    @ Barbara. I heartily endorse all your comments and wishes to JR and his family even if, on occasion, my laptop has addressed himself as Mr Redmond for which, once again, I apologise.

  3. Maureen
    December 9, 2012

    Dear Mr Redwood

    Thank you for your kind Christmas message. May I wish you and yours a very happy, peaceful and blessed Christmas and all the best for a properous new year.

  4. Christopher Ekstrom
    December 9, 2012

    Merry Christmas, Mr. Redwood.

    At this time of year my thoughts & prayers tend to return to those who are orphaned around the world. We who have had loving parents are rich beyound belief. Among many mysteries the hardship & suffering of children is a challenge to my faith; the suffering of innocents is impossible to ignore. If one may offer your time & money to assist abandoned children.

  5. Robin Davies
    December 9, 2012

    A saviour of mankind? Who else do you have in mind?

  6. David Langley
    December 10, 2012

    May I wish you a and your family a happy Xmas John, I hope it gives you all joy and helps you to gain a sense of peace and hope for the future. Thank you for providing me with the opportunity to have a debate with you and others about the important things in our life. I wish my MP had a similar diary. Lets hope the new year provides us all with a sense of progress and understanding.

  7. margaret brandreth-j
    December 10, 2012

    Oh, and I thought you were a dry old Oxford grad with business tagged to his top hat.Yes , it is that selfsame magic which needs be distilled and if some need a drop of the hard stuff (just a drop) to shine graciously , then let it be. We all need to distance ourselves from the hard reality of trying to make money , giving people the sack to survive and losing much of what we have worked for, for the greater good. There are always the few who take advantage of these situations, but I for one won’t let them rule my life: princess or pauper.

    So Wokingham, let me reiterate John’s message and put it out to GB..in total.

  8. John Doran
    December 12, 2012

    Thank you John Redwood for all your hard work in parliament & in this blog.
    Have a great Christmas with your family.
    Let’s hope your well informed commonsense gains more sway next year.
    Sincerely,
    JD.

Comments are closed.