The Christmas Deadline

December 19, 2017
by Rodney Olsen
Add Comment

(This post has been slightly updated from November 2012 but is more relevant than ever.)

It used to be a time of celebration, an opportunity for friends and family to get together, a time to think about the first Christmas and the greatest gift of all. These days, Christmas has simply become a deadline.

Get it Finished

We have to have so much finished ‘before Christmas’. We want carpets laid, walls painted, projects finished, buildings built and so much more all before the 25th of December.

Buy Now!

Retailers tell us we must order now for delivery before Christmas, which I can understand to some degree if it’s something you want as a gift, but most of the time they’re just using the mention of Christmas to add urgency to their sales pitch.

Work Stress

Tradesmen are pushed to complete tasks that really have no relation to Christmas. Whether they’re completed before or after any particular date doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things but those paying the bills want their projects all sewn up before the big day. Many workers are feeling the pressure to get the job done before Christmas.

Self-Induced Stress

Then there’s the pressure we put on ourselves. We must ensure that everything’s perfect for the big day. We turn ourselves inside out to make sure that we’re ready for those who will share Christmas Day with us. Gifts, food, decorations, drinks, the list goes on. It’s really no wonder that the ‘Joy of Christmas’ has given way to the stress of what’s become known as the silly season.

Back when I used to work on radio, my regular Wednesday morning guest on 98.5 Sonshine FM was Rev Dr Ross Clifford who is the Principal of Morling College in New South Wales. Each week we chatted about a range of issues relating to spirituality and belief.

About five years ago we spoke about Christmas as a deadline. You can hear our conversation by clicking the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post. If you’re looking for ways to turn the tide and make Christmas something you can look forward to again, make sure you take a few minutes to listen.

Slow Down – You Move Too Fast

So, have you felt the stress rising already? Have you ever stopped to ask whether the deadline you’ve given yourself is just a false deadline? Will it make any difference at all if it happens after Christmas?

Is Christmas a restful or stressful time for you? What plans are you putting in place this year to ensure that you actually enjoy Christmas instead of racing at warp speed until you collapse in a heap on the 26th of December?



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading The Christmas Deadline? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

Big Week for Australia and India

January 24, 2016
by Rodney Olsen
Add Comment

Australian-and-Indian-flags

While in Australia millions will be celebrating Australia Day this Tuesday, half a world away India will be celebrating Republic Day. I like the fact that I get to celebrate two countries that I love on the same day. I don’t know if it will ever happen but one year I’d love to be in India for Republic Day.

Though India became a free nation on August 15, 1947, it declared itself a Sovereign, Democratic and Republic state with the adoption of the Constitution on January 26, 1950.

A salute of 21 guns and the unfurling of the Indian National Flag by Dr. Rajendra Prasad heralded the historic birth of the Indian Republic on that day. Thereafter 26th of January was decreed a national holiday and was recognised as the Republic Day of India.

The Constitution gave the citizens of India the power to choose their own government and paved the way for democracy. Dr. Rajendra Prasad took oath as the first President of India at the Durbar Hall in Government House and this was followed by the Presidential drive along a five-mile route to the Irwin Stadium, where he unfurled the National Flag. – Know India

I’ve had the privilege of visiting India three times over several years. It’s a truly amazing place. While I’ll be celebrating in my home country on Tuesday I’ll be thinking of friends in India.

Below is a video of my first trip to India in 2003. I was joined by several locals to ride from Agra, home of the Taj Mahal, to Delhi, as well as cycling around Delhi. I was there as a guest of the Bible Society. It’s just a short video and I hope you enjoy watching it.



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Big Week for Australia and India? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

Father’s Day 2010

September 6, 2010
by Rodney Olsen
2 Comments

It was Father’s Day in Australia yesterday. It’s a day celebrated right around the world at different times during the year.

So how was my Father’s Day? It’s become a pretty mixed day for me. Overall it was brilliant and I was truly spoiled by my amazing family but there were those moments that I thought about how I miss my own dad who passed away several years back. I often wish he was still around to share my life.

I also thought about a good friend of mine who passed away a year ago, just before Father’s Day 2009. I miss him terribly but I know that his children would have been feeling that pain a whole lot more yesterday as they thought about a wonderful dad who’s gone way too soon.

I suppose that those mixed feelings should serve as a reminder for all of us to make the most of the time we have today and to ensure we don’t just wait for days like birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and the like to tell the people close to us that we love them.



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Father’s Day 2010? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

Half a Christmas

December 15, 2008
by Rodney Olsen
8 Comments

We’re half way through December and we’ve already had half a Christmas.

My side of the family won’t be able to get together on Christmas Day so we had our own Christmas lunch yesterday. We talked, we ate, we exchanged gifts. It was a great afternoon.

Splitting Christmas also means that we won’t have to dash between families on Christmas Day so we’ll be able to really enjoy the day without looking at watches wondering if it’s time to head to the next meal. And of course we won’t have to have two enormous meals on the one day.

What are your plans for the big day? A quiet one or rushing from place to place? How do you decide where you spend time on Christmas Day?

My Christmas wish is simply to be able to spend time with those I love and to be able to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. Looks like wishes will come true this year.



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Half a Christmas? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.