I’m among the hundreds of people waiting at arrivals at Dublin Airport.
Mine’s is Daddy’s Little Girl, on her way home from Edinburgh.
Now Santy is here, there are well-wishers with Welcome balloons and I dare say a choir will appear any minute now.
And I’m looking at the trolleys of suitcases.
Nothing different there. Only I’m wondering what’s in them.
Not that I’m weird or anything. I’m just thinking that many of them will be packed with presents.
Which makes me think… why?
OK, there might be that Christmas gift you can only get in that country you’re coming from.
Although you can buy most things over the internet now.
And have it delivered to the family home or a relative to pick up.
Or even tell them what you want them to buy and recompense them when you see them.
Because packing your bags with gifts only means that you have less room for your own stuff.
And if you’re only home for a couple of days and can get away without taking a suitcase at all…
Because rucksacks hold more than you think and then you can always get your clothes washed at home.
Or better still change your wardrobe with some new clothes in the Boxing Day sales.
And then you won’t have to go to the carousel.
And you know what I think of carousels…
Having had to wait a day for my undelivered luggage to be sent to my address. I wasn’t alone.
The smaller the airport, of course, the smaller the carousel and the ANR Robinson International Airport in Tobago is definitely my size.
It even has reminders of home.
Here are a few reminders of some precious memories from that trip… Ready, steady, goat… in Tobago, Give us this Day – Sunday School, Tobago and I should cocoa – Christmas in Tobago.
This being Christmas Eve’s Eve this will probably be my last airport visit of the year.
Although I live in hope!
So a big thank you to all the airports that have hosted me this year, particularly my second home, Dublin Airport… www.dublinairport.com
And while it’s probably too late for you to heed my advice, remember that the best gift you can bring is…
Yourself!
Unless you can persuade Rihanna to visit… A kiss from Rihanna.
