WEEK 28 QUOTE 28

"More than 20% of Britons expect a family bust up this Christmas, according to a survey.
The poll carried out by BBC Radio 5 live found 22% of those asked did expect a family argument during the festive period although the majority - 77% - expected harmony around the Christmas tree.
It also found that 13% of the respondents had stopped speaking to an immediate family member during the past year.
The survey - released on Monday - also found that 97% of people said their families made them feel happy whilst 60% said their jobs made them content.
However, Christmas turned out to be the favourite time for only 2 out of 5 respondents to the poll."


"ONE IN FIVE EXPECT FAMILY XMAS FIGHT" Dec 6 2010. smh.com.au  The Sydney Morning Herald.


It's about to HAPPEN - Christmas celebrations - sooner for some (like us here in New Zealand), than others (those on the west coast of America).
The gathering with family, the planned and created food, the much thought about and bought or grabbed gifts, the organized observance of traditions - these four elements seem to be a common part of celebrating Christmas. 
But in adding the doing of these elements to the already end-of-year tired lives of many, can be just too much, and the hopes of happy heartiness, the expectation of exciting experiences and memories, can be blown apart as families reunite and get together.
Some have been apart for most of the past year. Some have been apart for years. Some barely know each other. Families have often grown with new members - different to the 'old stock', which can bring new 'flavours'. And of course there's the dreams that have been anticipated and hoped for for weeks before the event.
For most families there will be some expression of a "family bust up", whether full scale or mild and kept in check.
So how can we head into this day of celebration and prevent ending it in a huge mess?
BY
THISWEEKWITHTHEKIDS  taking the initiative, and forgiving those in YOUR family and beyond, for the disappointments and hurts they have caused you.
Christmas is the perfect time to do this as it is the season which  is the start of the story of the greatest demonstration ever of love, which came through forgiveness. At Christmas, Jesus was born as a baby. This is the beginning  of the huge historic story. This is where the true celebration all begins.


HAVE A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS WITH YOUR FAMILY!!
SEE YOU NEXT YEAR.
Cathy