Okay, that might be a bit cynical, but at a time when everyone seems to be so busy preparing for just one special day, it is easy to lose sight of what it’s all about.

Even if you’re not religious, surely the modern secular meaning of Christmas has to be more than just shopping and cooking!

And if you have even a snip of religion or tradition in your bones, stopping to think about what it all means can be a valuable time-out from all the other mad rushing about.

The Community Christmas Carols on Sunday night at the Kingscote Town Hall was an entertaining and special way to celebrate the season with the community.

There was not a Santa or a reindeer in sight, no brightly wrapped gifts and no “Jingle Bells”, not even a Christmas tree.

But there was beautiful music, joyous singing, extreme goodwill, a nativity scene, children learning about how and why it all started a couple of millennia ago and many adults enjoying the traditional and real Christmas carols.

If you’re still not buying into the traditional religious Christmas stuff, The Islander hopes you can at least find some simple gathering with friends and family and maybe a lonely neighbour to enjoy some relaxing and nurturing time among the fake holly and tinsel.