Twelve Drummers Drumming: About Bringing People Together
In this series of items the Twelve Days of Christmas traditional song is used to find inspiration for some Christmas Musings.
photo credit: Alex88
Another List!
There’s a huge list of things that we hope for at Christmas. Yes, another list!
- Will Dad’s jumper fit?
- Is the software compatible?
- Will the turkey be defrosted?
- Will everyone enjoy themselves?
- And more…
Underneath all that, other things that we look for are that everyone gets along and that the whole family have some meaningful contact. Christmas is full of tradition and ritual that come from all directions. There’s the whole Nativity story with the Angels, Wise Men, Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus; the Christmas Tree and decorations, Santa and his chimney scaling skills and Rudolph; the cake, mince pies and an overdressed Turkey or odd aunty. Then there’s all that commercial glitz and glamour that we try to resist but mostly, end up falling in line with.
In the mix, are our own individual family rituals; eating together, bed-time and morning routines, who’s grumpy when, who leads, who has certain strengths or weaknesses and a whole collection of things that help us navigate our connected lives. There are various routines, meal times, the way we manage demands like exams, work, a new term at school and wobbly relationships. They are all the ordinary things of family life and at times, these things help us know we are in the right place, in familiar territory. Just like a Red suit, holly and berries, Christmas jingles and a decorated tree let us know where we are in the calendar.
Fitting in is critical for our emotional well being and for people to fit in, they need to be participants. Now that is a two-way street but whilst individuals have to do something to be involved, it is also important for groups, including families to be open, tolerant and engaging enough for the individuals to take part.
Keeping Rhythm
photo credit: U.S. Department of Defense Current Photos
The thing about drummers, is that they keep rhythm. They help people keep in step. To stay together, and that’s exactly what those Twelve Drummers Drumming are doing for me. Beating out a steady tempo that will keep the family together, each member contributing to the whole. This is probably worthy of being relegated to a Cracker gag but have you heard about the proud parents watching their children at a military parade? “Ooh Look!” Exclaims one, “That’s our child! And isn’t it amazing, they’re the only one in step!”
Harmony isn’t necessarily about everyone doing the same thing at the same time. It’s nice to eat together, play a game together, walk as a family or just sit and relax in the same space but with our busy lives, different interests and ages, it isn’t always easy to achieve. But everyone being involved, contributing, sharing and participating in the Christmas period is achievable. With Twelve Drummers tapping out a helpful tempo, we can each do what we can to encourage the whole family to join in and enjoy each other’s company.
Get in Touch
This was written by Michele and you can contact her here.
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