Christmas In Cape Town
Christmas has always been a time I’ve spent with close friends and family. When I was younger, it was my favorite holiday. As I got older, though, the excitement around it slowly faded. Life got busier, traditions changed, and Christmas stopped feeling as special as it once did.
This year, I planned to be home with my family. After spending every other holiday abroad, I was really looking forward to it. I had only spent about two months of the entire year with them, and I missed the time that only happens during the holidays when no one is rushing anywhere and we can just be together without thinking about what comes next.
When I arrived in South Africa at the beginning of December, it quickly became clear that I wasn’t gonna be leaving yet. The work I had started with In Bloom wasn’t finished, and walking away didn’t feel right. Even though being home mattered so much to me, staying felt like the decision I needed to make for the future of In Bloom.
Still, spending my first Christmas away from my family was hard. I felt guilty for missing it and sad knowing I wouldn’t be there. I worried that the day would feel empty, or like I was missing something I wouldn’t get back.
Once I changed my flight, I decided in needed to make the most of it. A lot of us were spending the holidays away from home for the first time, so we tried to make it as special as possible. We got stockings for everyone in the house and planned a big “family” dinner. It wasn’t perfect, but it felt intentional, and that was what mattered.
With the help of my friend Milly, she was also able to get Christmas gifts for a lot of the kids in the township. These kids are the ones I spend most of my time with here, and being able to do something small but meaningful for them meant more to me than I couldve imagined.
Spending Christmas with them and the people who have become some of my closest friends made the day so special. Watching the kids chase after our truck (bakkie) so excited to get a new toy reminded me of the joy Christmas used to hold for me when I was younger. It brought back something I thought I had lost.
Cape Town has become a place that feels more like home than anywhere else and sets my soul on fire. This Christmas didn’t look like the one I planned, but it reminded me why the holidays matter in the first place not because of where you are, but because of who you’re with and how present you allow yourself to be.
This Christmas in Cape Town ended up being one of the most meaningful ones I’ve had. It brought back a feeling I have missed, and it reminded me that even when life doesn’t go the way you planned, something good can still come from it.