Verlede lente was die V&A Waterfront vol kleurvolle Kersversierings en vrolike feesvierders.

Last spring, the V&A Waterfront was full of colorful Christmas decorations and merry festival-goers.

Elmarie en Jaco het deur die skare beweeg, elkeen met hul eie idee van hoe die Kersaankope moes verloop.

Elmarie and Jaco moved through the crowd, each with their own idea of how the Christmas shopping should proceed.

Elmarie, 'n vrou van lyste en voornemens, het 'n bondel in haar hand gedraai.

Elmarie, a woman of lists and intentions, was twirling a bundle in her hand.

Elke jaar moes die Kersfees perfek wees.

Every year, Christmas had to be perfect.

"Ek moet net al die geskenke van my lysie kry," het sy gesê terwyl sy op haar telefoon geskarrel het om die volgende winkel se ligging te bekyk.

"I just need to get all the gifts from my list," she said while scrambling on her phone to check the location of the next store.

Jaco, reeds met 'n glas koeldrank in sy hand, het laggend na sy suster gekyk.

Jaco, already with a glass of soda in his hand, laughed at his sister.

"Elmarie, ontspan tog 'n bietjie.

"Elmarie, relax a bit.

Kersfees gaan oor pret en saam wees.

Christmas is about fun and being together."

"Sy het egter bloot haar oë gerol.

She simply rolled her eyes.

"Jy verstaan dit nie.

"You don’t understand.

Ek het nie tyd om te mors nie.

I don’t have time to waste."

"Hulle het by 'n speelgoedwinkel ingeloop, so vol dat daar skaars plek was om 'n karretjie te draai.

They walked into a toy store, so full that there was hardly room to turn a cart.

Elmarie het dadelik in aksie gespring.

Elmarie sprang into action immediately.

Haar oë was vasgenael op die poppe en blokkies, maar toe gebeur die ondenkbare.

Her eyes were glued to the dolls and blocks, but then the unthinkable happened.

Haar lysie was weg.

Her list was gone.

Paniek het in haar oë geflits.

Panic flashed in her eyes.

"Ek het dit verloor!

"I lost it!"

" roep sy.

she exclaimed.

Elmarie het wild om haarself begin kyk, hoopvol om die papierflentertjie op die grond te sien.

Elmarie started looking around frantically, hoping to see the scrap of paper on the ground.

"Dis nie die einde van die wêreld nie," het Jaco probeer kalmeer.

"It's not the end of the world," Jaco tried to calm her.

"Kom ons drink 'n bietjie koffie.

"Let's have some coffee.

Dalk help dit jou om te kalmeer en ons kan verder beplan.

Maybe it'll help you relax, and we can plan further."

"Na 'n sug van frustrasie het Elmarie uiteindelik ingestem.

After a sigh of frustration, Elmarie finally agreed.

By die waterfront kafee het hulle gaan sit met 'n uitsig oor die water en 'n skitterende Kersparade in die verte.

They sat at the waterfront café with a view over the water and a sparkling Christmas parade in the distance.

Die feeagtige liggies en vrolike musiek het die spanning in Elmarie se skouers laat sak.

The fairy lights and cheerful music eased the tension in Elmarie's shoulders.

Vir die eerste keer het sy weer diep asemgehaal.

For the first time, she took a deep breath.

"Jy is dalk reg," het sy teësinnig erken.

"You might be right," she reluctantly admitted.

"Dit gaan oor die oomblik.

"It's about the moment.

Dit gaan oor geluk.

It's about happiness."

"Jaco het haar saggies aangestoot.

Jaco nudged her gently.

"Daar is die Elmarie wat ek ken.

"There's the Elmarie I know."

"Die parade het verby beweeg, met kinders wat lag en ouers wat saam geniet.

The parade passed by, with children laughing and parents enjoying it together.

Elmarie het begin verstaan dat nie alles volgens plan hoef te verloop nie om perfek te wees.

Elmarie began to understand that not everything needed to go according to plan to be perfect.

Sy het na Jaco gekyk.

She looked at Jaco.

"Dankie, dat jy my herinner het waaroor Kersfees werklik gaan.

"Thank you for reminding me what Christmas is really about."

"Jaco het geglimlag, trots dat sy begin het om die geskenke van die oomblik te waardeer.

Jaco smiled, proud that she began to appreciate the gifts of the moment.

So het die tweeling die V&A Waterfront verlaat, nie net met geskenke in hulle hande nie, maar met 'n nuwe verstaan in hulle harte.

And so, the twins left the V&A Waterfront, not just with gifts in their hands, but with a new understanding in their hearts.

'n Kersfees gevul met vrede en vreugde.

A Christmas filled with peace and joy.