During the nearly 50 years of our marriage, work has taken us around the country. In the process we have made many friends and \u2018The Christmas Letter\u2019 from some of them has become an annual ritual to which we look forward each year. At a time of economic and political gloom, this year everyone seems as cheerful as ever. And whilst there are sad references, with news of several elderly people dying, even these have a positive edge \u2013 \u2018but she died peacefully\u2019 for example.<\/p>\n
People have changed jobs, and settled down in new places with new colleagues. A friend marvels at the surprise 60th birthday laid on for her. People have been abroad \u2013 Ghana, Paris, Portugal, and in many places in this country where the emphasis is often on energetic activities, although \u2018our annual bird watching trip to Norfolk\u2019 sounds less strenuous as no doubt was a visit to the Eden Project (\u2018again\u2019).<\/p>\n
One family has gone into urban farming and have bought their first two hens. There have been a lot of family holidays, one of them on a barge with the comment \u2018it is noticeable that my ability to leap on and off the boat is not what it was\u2019. Others used a break from work to do house repairs and decorations, one of them adding a topical moan that \u2018frequent showers made it a slow and frustrating job\u2019. Another reference to the British weather, \u2018my allotment suffered this summer from the rain\u2019, and I have sympathy with that one.<\/p>\n
Not only do our correspondents give news of their families, in several cases members of the family themselves report on their eventful lives. One of them writes \u2018as far as school goes I am continuing to work as hard as is possible\u2019. It\u2019s this emphasis on the next generation that is typical of all our letters. There is enormous pride in children\u2019s achievements and multiple talents. We have been very impressed \u2013 and moved \u2013 by the way in which friends whom we knew when they themselves were young, are now parents to some remarkable and hugely talented children and young adults. There are several paeans of praise for grandchildren, and we understand that well!<\/p>\n
Many of the letters come across as a celebration of life, and although they are from friends who we are not able to see very often or at all, hearing their news is one of the highlights of our Christmas and has become a celebration of our own life and family as well.<\/p>\n
To you \u2013 if you are reading this just now – Happy Christmas! And for all of us, may the New Year be one of peace and justice in the world, and for us older ones, a year of fulfilment and joy.<\/p>\n
Bryan<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
During the nearly 50 years of our marriage, work has taken us around the country. In the process we have made many friends and \u2018The Christmas Letter\u2019 from some of them has become an annual ritual to which we look forward each year. At a time of economic and political gloom, this year everyone seems as cheerful as ever. And whilst there are sad references, with news of several elderly people dying, even these have a positive edge \u2013 \u2018but she died peacefully\u2019 for example. People have changed jobs, and settled down in new places with new colleagues. A friend <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-790","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"yoast_head":"\n