Scary fact you might not know about today
Take another look at today’s date – because, as television host David Campbell points out – there’s only 30 more days until we enter a whole new era.
Stellar
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It’s my favourite time of the year. Well, mine and Mariah Carey’s.
I can feel the excitement in the air. We can all stop complaining about decorations in shops being up too early.
I can pull the tree out of storage, check all the fairy lights are working and start to wind up my children to fever pitch.
Yes kids, all those months of me saying you’d better behave or I’ll call Santa (this mild threat started in February) have now come to this.
We find out how naughty or nice you have really been. Cue lightning strike and maniacal laughter.
Now is the time for work to begin its wind down. We need to organise presents. Who is hosting this year? (I have successfully dodged this bullet for years, the advantage of having twins.)
We also need to work on our “How to avoid confrontation and deflect the argument to another relative” schtick. I have a Masters in the last one.
Yet, I feel a sense of urgency to the silly season this year. As you read this, we have only 30 more days to go until the end of the decade.
Blimey. John and Yoko singing “So this is Christmas, and what have you done?” suddenly feels like it has a little more weight to it.
We are about to hit the roaring ’20s. Again. I hope they are roaring and not boring. It seems like yesterday we were heading through the ’90s and living in the ‘Wild, Wild West’. We got through Y2K, now how about 2020? Will it be OK?
For people like me, who always live with at least a small eggnog glass half full of anxiety, it is both thrilling and terrifying.
The festive season is the most wonderful time, except when you start spiralling about all the mistakes you’ve made in the past 10 years.
But I think 2020 symbolises more than a new decade. Well, first it reminds me to get my eyes checked as my vision hasn’t matched that number for quite a few years.
I think it symbolises a fresh look to what’s ahead. I have to stop looking at old photos of my kids and puppy and look up at them.
The next 10 years is going to see them grow into adults.
You guys, I have humans in my house who will drive a car soon. They will start to date this decade.
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They will get obsessed with whatever the new internet phone thing is and, most importantly, they will start to slowly, emotionally separate from us.
When I look at their little faces as they decorate our tree, I want to stop time. Cancel all the growth spurts and inevitable teenage disagreements now. Give them a huge cuddle, while they are still shorter than me, and tell them it’s all right if they never leave home.
But the therapied part of me sees with better clarity.
The joys of watching them grow up and knowing we will be there to help shape all their future Decembers is very exciting – as the presents under the tree move from toys to bikes to cool clothes they can hang out with their mates in.
So, this end of the decade/Christmas crossover will be one for me to brace myself for what is ahead. Put my glasses on and live in the present, surrounded by more than just presents. My wish is for everyone to be healthy and happy.
Not just my family, but yours also.
Perhaps that’s what I will ask old mate from the North Pole for.
David co-hosts Today Extra, 9am Monday – Wednesday, and Weekend Today, 7am weekends, on the Nine Network.