Of course, this will not be my last Christmas ever, but it’s my last Christmas living in England. I am looking forward to sharing many, many joyful Christmases with my family (including those who are yet to arrive) both here in England and at home in India. I look forward to the Christmases when I can be with my whole family and take my husband to see the lights in London, the Christmas markets and the carol service at the small village church where I was christened. This Christmas is an extra special and a somewhat poignant one because Christmas is all about being with family and straight after Christmas I won’t be seeing my family until our wedding in April.
Yesterday we put up our Christmas tree, no Christmas is complete without one! This year there was an extra touch of festive magic when we put ours in our living room. We opted to use our artificial tree this year, (it is usually better to get a real tree, they smell so nice but make such a mess) so the Christmas tree was pulled out of the garage, where it had been living for the last 11 months, and into our living room. All was going well until my mum suddenly started screaming and waving her arms around…something in the tree was moving!
Two perfectly formed, beautiful peacock butterflies had been hibernating in the tree! They were so delicate. I had that lovely feeling of synchronicity, which has been following me for a while now, as I watched this butterfly couple flying around our living room. The lovely thing about this is that they were peacock butterflies and the peacock is the national bird of India and a sacred bird in Hindu mythology. Lord Krishna is depicted with a peacock feather adorning his head.
After we had recovered from the butterfly incident, we started to decorate the tree. The memories of Christmases that have passed were stirred by the collection of tree ornaments which have accumulated over the years. Some had been gifts, others hand made and some souvenirs from Christmas holidays. Each precious ornament tells its own festive story!
We even have a lovely Christmas tree ornament with Father Christmas riding an Indian elephant…
It is only 12 days until Christmas and 14 days until I move to India. Once Christmas is over for another year, it will be the start of the adventure that is married life! It seems I spent some time as a child wishing I was a Christmas tree (some of the same decorations are on our tree today)…
Merry Christmas!
N.B. If you do find a butterfly flying around your house during these winter months then you should try to put him/her in your shed or garage to it can return to its snuggly winter sleep until spring. Our heating can be very confusing for a butterfly and the weather outside is too harsh for them.
English Wife, Indian Life 
Wow, those butterflies! 🙂 P.s. I like the new changes in your website. (I don’t know how new they are).
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Aww thank you!! I felt like I needed a change!
I hope you are well!
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Hey.. the Christmas tree is beautiful…
Merry Christmas… 🙂 🙂
Welcome to India… I’m glad you were strong enough to bear this separation and eventually going to see your husband…!! 🙂
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Thank you so so much Neeli! Merry Christmas!
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🙂 🙂
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merry christmas..:)
enjoy
and loved the flag of england with inidan colours. nice design 🙂
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Thank you so much, Shijin!
The flag is so cool isn’t it
Merry Christmas
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Merry Christmas in England, and Happy New Year in India.
Aren’t you lucky, for having the Best of both worlds? 🙂
Have a good one!
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Thank you so much Deo!
I agree, I am so fortunate to be able to spend New Year in India and Christmas in England! Merry Christmas!!
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In January, you will have a new experience of celebrating Makar Sankrant. And if I am not mistaken, in Nagpur, you will also have an opportunity to participate in special celebration (for women only) called Haladikunku. You will surely have a great time.
Welcome to India and Indian festival celebrations!
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Oh wow! I have heard about this festival and I am excited!! Thank you so much, Deo!
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You are most welcome!
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Beautiful tree, and what a wonderful story about the butterflies.
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Thank you Peggy!
Yes, it was so lovely to have such beautiful creatures flying around our home!
Merry Christmas
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Can’t wait to read the posts from your new home ~ INDIA ~ YIPPEE 🙂 Lakshmi x
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Thank you soooo much Lakshmiii!!! x
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What a fortuitous sign with those butterflies. I remember my yogi giving a talk when I was in India and a butterfly came from nowhere and sat beside him through it all. I felt sure it was his master who had come to listen.
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Aww wow! That is amazing! I am sure it was his master!
I love butterflies and to see two was quite significant because of soon being back together with my husband!
Butterflies are magical! I wish I could have seen this butterfly at your yogis side!!
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[…] like butterflies caught in a spiders web, where once their colours graced the sky, fluttering and dancing, they are […]
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Oh my God! This makes me wanna celebrate Christmas in England! The most beautiful thing I have seen all day today! Thanks so much for this post.. It’s lovely to see your world through your eyes 🙂
P.S. – I have always had a thing for all things English… Hence, I am so crazy about this blog 😀
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Aww, I really hope you can make it one day, Manju!!!!
Lots of love xx
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Wow ! Christmas tree is decorated very beautifully. Hey u r lucky tht u can celebrate Diwali as well as Christmas.I always wanted to celebrate Christmas in abroad. Anyways u look amazing in mahrashtrian look. God bess you and merry christmas????
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Thank you so much, Trupti!!
I hope you can celebrate Christmas abroad sometime soon!!
Take careee x
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Welcome Dear!
??
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[…] England we have a pretty convincing artificial tree which we store in the shed until Christmas comes around again. We have brought a real tree in the […]
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