Hello Hello!!!😊❤😘

Happy New Month, Beauties Yeah, it's coming late but it's never too late, eh? I have been having a really bad cold and yes, I am gonna blame it for me being away from here😉😊. I guess the cold is all thanks to the change of weather, no, not snow… it's the Harmattan dust/fog!

My nose is all blocked and I am feeling super lazy. On a side note, how do you adults handle a runny nose when you have a cold though, I mean tissues and handkerchiefs aren’t the most elegant thing to have around, yeah? The struggle! Or is it just me? I mean, I never see the adults around me struggle with cold, they seem to never have a cold. I guess could it is a children thing… And I so happen to be one☺

My voice alone gives me away whenever I have a cold, I used to think that the voice was “cute” until I decided to record myself one day and realized it was horrible😫. I stopped talking much whenever I have a cold. Anyways, we ain't here to talk about cold, we are here to talk about…. Wait, What are we here to talk about again? Seems like I have no idea….😥 coughs out loud You guys better get out of the way before… coughs out again you “catch” this cold.

Christmas seems to have been knocking on my door on my don't and I still haven't opened the door just yet, I just hope it doesn't knock down the door and walk in to catch me unaware😀😀. Funny how I was encouraging Ren of @xcountytravelers to get into the Christmas spirit and I was doing very little myself, yeah, I need to step up and light that spirit😊

Christmas is celebrated in different ways across different places and I think that's what makes Christmas beautiful and magical because, at the end of the day, this different forms of celebration spells out nothing but love. And that element of love never seems to get lost or out of fashion across different culture.

Yap! It's Christmas time, time to get those trees out, get on with those decors, bake those cookies and prepare those scrumptious meals😋. And, I am coming over to have a taste of those meals. Lol!

Christmas for me has often been celebrated with extended family all over the place. Like a really really big family. My uncles and Aunties, my cousins and probably their cousins and sometimes friends, my Dad's cousins, etc. It's a big one, really. Some of these people, I don’t even know them and might never understand what connection they have with the family, I guess everyone wants to come over and enjoy Grandma's house, even the ones not directly connected to her. Like her Nephews and even their kid. Oh, they are connected too. You see, all of these often reminds me of how much we can be connected with different people in different aspects over different time.

I could remember once, these guys came over but my Grandpa had no idea who they were even though they tried explaining their connection. Well, he let they stay even though he didn't clearly understand who they were, and I never saw they again after that Christmas or maybe I never paid attention. My Grandpa had 6kids but plenty relatives (who didn't mind sending their kids, grandkids and even cousins for Christsmas. Okay, they didn't need to send them over, the will find their way)

As I grow though, I got tired of the crowd and I became less interested, well, because growing up for me came with an “introvert package”😉😊. And even when I would visit, I become my Dad's shadows. It's been like 5years since I last spent Christmas with my Extended family, though, ever since we lost Dad but Mum still does...

Well, during this big gatherings is when connections are made, moments are shared and memories are created. And we have great fun!!! Almost all the time, until when the older ladies decided that I had become a “professional chef” and should join in the cooking but clearly, there was nothing I could do. Dad was my escape anyway, so the never found out my secret! (That I could not cook)

It was during one of these “gathering” that my 10years old brother walked (with 1year+ me on his back) to my Mum's village that was about 30-40mins drive from my Dad's town. 🤣🤣

What happened?? So, what happened was that my parents traveled over to see my Mum’s parent with my sister leaving my brother behind because he was too stubborn to go with them and me behind because my Aunt Lydia was there and I was (and still am) fond of her. My Aunt Lydia had stayed with my parent ever since they got married, she was pretty much my Mum's trusted assistant. Or something like that, like a first daughter, really. Okay, I can't define.

So, after my Parents left, the older people there did something that somewhat “offended” my brother and in his own little kid definition it meant “they didn't want him there”. So after they probably scolded him, my brother sneaked in, got me and set out for his “journey”. If they didn't want him, they didn't want his sister too.

Now, my brother wasn't the most fond of me , I guess for him, I was only a little child that came over to inconvenience him. But he knew when to take “responsibility”(or maybe not) of me, in his mind, he could protect me🤣🤣. He should just Thank God that everything went well.

Minutes later, my Aunt decided to check on me but couldn't find me, she was really terrified and searched all over the place for me with the help of the others. It was then that they realized my brother too was missing but it didn't occur to them that he took me along to wherever he went. Well, his absence was less of a problem, I guess because they thought he was out with friends or somewhere sulking.

Well, while they were all over the place looking for the lost Cutie (which so happens to be me) my brother was “trekking it all out”🤣 with me on his back and I probably was enjoying the journey😊. Well, they had no phone to call my parents and even if they did, I doubt they will call to report about the missing child to parents who will probably freak out!

I wonder really how people passed us by with their cars and didn't bother to pick us up. Maybe they thought the sight was unusual and the kids might be some sort of mystical creatures disguised as humans? Well, nothing is impossible in this part of the world so they had better stay safe!🤣

We reached anyways, and everyone was surprised to see my brother and I. My parent asked how we ended up there, which maybe followed with some scoldings for my brother.

This is a story that I have been told times and again😀😊. And I do have amazing, exciting and hilarious Christmas stories. Like the Christmas I spent with a burnt hair (what kind of burnt??) or me getting lost on a Christmas morning and more. No, they ain't always crazy, I also have sane and sweet Christmas stories😊.

Do let me know if you wanna hear my Christmas stories.

Christmas is all about love, do show someone that love. It probably is the easiest way to key into that Christmas spirit without spending too much. Yeah, the gifts count but so also do the heart it's coming from, hugs, the kind words, the kisses and even some sweet words to a stranger. And no, love isn't only for Christmas.😊❤🤗

I am glad I have been able to step out of this cold self of mine and write this long of a post. Just wanted to wish you guys a Merry Christmas in advance and for those traveling for the festive season, safe trip!!

Have any Christmas stories? Do share with me. How are you guys keying into the Christmas spirit, i would love to hear from you.

Much Love — Audrey❤