The last quarter of the year is unreservedly dedicated to extending the family circle.
Whether it’s an expat homecoming or the gathering of family from across the country, the downhill slide to Christmas is all about being together as a family. December may be epitomised as the month of Christmas, but the real gift lies in presence, not presents. At this end of the year there is nostalgia for what has passed and an added awareness of how quickly time goes by. We savour the company of our loved ones because time and distance keeps the future uncertain. Grandparents, especially, revel in the overflow of their generational wealth, their kin, because they are most aware of how precious and fleeting the moments are before they become distant memories.
