Dear Families and Friends,

How are your final Christmas preparations going? Term is over and there are only two more sleeps until the big day. It may be that, like me, you still have a few final gifts to get and wrap before most shops close for a few hours. Maybe you've got the final food run to do. Maybe you're all set and feeling relaxed.

Or, maybe, you find Christmas more difficult. All this talk of presents, food and merriment are a challenge for you. You feel the pressure. Times are hard and there seems to be no room for the festivities in your life. You are not alone.

We can all feel the pressure of the moment. There is a lot to celebrate in the meaning of Christmas. If we can see beyond the commercial messages that we all hear, about turkey, trimmings, tinsel and TV programmes, we find a very simple yet astonishing event. A baby was born, without fanfare or fireworks, but in a manger, in a quiet place, in a small family. Who this baby was and what he would grow up to do, is what we can all celebrate, in our own way. Whether we have plenty or little, in this child we can find more joy and fulfilment than we could ever imagine.

Later in his life, this baby, Jesus said, "I have come in order that you might have life - life in all its fullness." (John 10:10)

However you spend your Christmas, may it be a special time. We look forward to seeing you on 6th January 2025. 

Happy Christmas!

Mr. Restall & The St Bart's Team