iRelle

This terrible photo is of the advent tree (and ornaments) that my mum knitted for me as a 21st birthday present! She also knitted a set for her sister, my Aunty Glen, for her birthday. I’m impressed by her perseverance and persistence as much as I am by the awesomeness of the design (which can be found, among many others, at Alan Dart’s website.) Each ornament would fit inside a 3 inch box, and some of them are just downright adorable – the Santa is a prime example.

However, every day I hang another ornament on the tree is a day less to get ready for Christmas! I normally love this time of year – the busy, busy stores and streets and the people who are genuinely happy despite the hassle and stress. This year it’s taking a little more hard work to get enthused (oh, don’t tell me I’m getting old!), but I still see things that put a smile on my face.

One of these was a lady, name-tagged Amanda, who works at Chickenfeed in town. The store was absolutely packed when I popped in to pick up a gift box and some wrapping paper, but she was darting around, answering everyone’s calls and questions, offering to help customers even when they didn’t ask for it, and generally doing her very best to keep everyone happy, all while never losing her own smile! I told her she was doing a fantastic job, and that made her smile even wider. So for the rest of this shopping season… why not slow down enough to notice the people who are working so much harder to make your consumer experience as swift and enjoyable as possible? They certainly deserve some thanks!

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I love my knitted Christmas tree, anyway! It’s one of those things that will be pulled out of the cupboard at this time of year for decades to come, and who knows? Maybe one day my kids will get as much enjoyment out of it as I do, now. And it will always remind me of mum, bald-headed, sitting in her chair by the fire, knitting industriously. Now that’s a priceless heirloom.