Travelling home for Christmas

Christmas day is  now just 2 days away so I hope that your plans are either well advanced or complete by now.

This is, depending on your views;-a 2020 year old tradition, or a song title and also the message of a well known film.

It was emphasised to me as once again we went to the airport.  The tree was sparkling and nearly 15 feet tall.

Nearby was a family with 2 children who were very excitedly rushing up to see the tree and have their photographs taken.  It was perhaps a little early to tell them that NORAD- the missile defence tracking system takes on the role of tracking Santa’s progress around the world on Christmas eve https://www.noradsanta.org/ 

Unlike the geese who migrate well ahead to their winter home lands we humans tend to leave it to the last minute

More down to earth is the song

” I’m driving home for Christmas  by Chris Rea” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THcbQyFtCqg 

Sadly for so many in the UK this Christmas will be anything but easy due to the floods.  And on the other side of the world in Australia there will be many who may find that the fires mean that the word home   is in the past tense as the fires have destroyed it all.

A different view about the journey comes from the film Trains, Planes and Automobiles-  although set in the USA, and the struggles to get home for Thanksgiving, the messages are the same.  Neil Page and Del Griffin have a series of mishaps whilst trying to get home.  As they near their destination Neal slowly understands that Del might be alone at Thanksgiving.  He returns to the station to discover that Del is sitting alone as he has no home to go to as his wife died 8 years earlier. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWGqGHMO294

The finale is that the true spirit of the Holidays was shown as Del Griffin was asked to join them for the celebratory meal

So at this time I hope that you have a smooth journey home where ever that may be.  Also that you have those who are important to you around and that you can truly celebrate the year and the imminent start of the next decade.

Merry Christmas and I hope that you enjoy