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There are three types of people in my world when it comes to Christmas.
The ones who host Christmas in July parties for any excuse to play All I Want For Christmas is You; those who put their tree up somewhere between late November and early December; and the people who won't allow the placement of a single string of fairy lights until after 12.01am on December 1.
My apologies to the latter as this newsletter arrives before the officially designated festive season.
Regardless of which category you fall into, I think we can all agree this year warrants an early arrival of joy and peace.
There's something joyous about listening to melodies performed with a strangely comforting over-reliance on bells and goosebump-inducing high notes.
I love hearing of different families' traditions, how they came about and why they are continuing.
The smell of tinsel as you pull it out of hibernation and the way Christmas lights make everything look softer and happier.
You might have guessed by now that I would find myself happily ensconced in the first group of people.
While there are many amazing things to be thankful for this Christmas, it can be a difficult and painful time for some who are missing family or still can't travel to be with loved ones.
I hope that in the lead up to Christmas, we can all take some time to catch up, in person or virtually, with those in our life who may find this season particularly tough.
This year, we've mostly heard about how terrible 2020 was.
However, it's amazing to see how far we've come as a country and how our collective effort has given us a chance at a relatively normal holiday season. One, we no doubt, will appreciate more than ever before.
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