The Year We Ran Out of Toilet Roll...

I’ve never been one to celebrate Christmas with my heart and soul. Be it a cultural thing—I am ethnically Chinese so Christmas isn’t our big tradition, or an entrepreneurial thing—I have been “tut-tutted” at for working through the whole holiday. To me, Christmas is a day in the calendar when my team is off and I just get on with getting ahead.

This year I took a different approach.

Like many entrepreneurs and business owners, I’ve worked from home, alone, for most part of the year. With my husband being away in the Far East, I literally became a single mom, juggling between the kids and my companies, with no life and without a break. Looking back at the various times when schools were off, I can’t even remember how I went from one groundhog day to another, repeating the endless cooking, feeding, cleaning, homeschooling, cheerleading my girls through the GCSE fiascos...amidst the zillions of business zoom meetings that I hosted or attended to keep our business afloat.

I’m very grateful we pulled through and have now come to the end of this very strange and unforgettable year. I decided to do something completely different this Christmas. In a year where everything has gone online and virtual, instead I mailed out handwritten, physical cards to friends and colleagues in the U.K., hoping the gesture will strengthen our connection and more importantly, remind us that we are not alone. I asked my recipients to send me a picture of the bauble that went along with the Christmas card, and many obliged. I have now made a small montage of the pictures received and wish to share this with you all, with my sincere message:

Even in the darkest moments, there will always be good and joy to have.

Merry Christmas!

#inthistogether

#intleducation

#whatdoesntkillyou

#makeyoustronger