Happy Christmas, with bells on!

            Well here it is, or nearly.  I'm sitting beside my overloaded table with a selection of presents, wrapped or not yet wrapped, cards to write and send, bills to pay, wrapping paper, candles, colouring pens,  gift tags, you name it, it has found a space on my (thankfully large), dining table. When my lovely cleaning ladies came yesterday  I simply asked them to ignore the table and not to touch anything on it. It truly is the elephant in the room.  And to cap it all,  I have a wonky Christmas tree which I rescued from B & Q yesterday - it is almost completely flat at the back so it had been left in its cubby hole and was looking rather sad.  It is very nice and bushy everywhere else, so I have put it in the bay, with its flat bit to the wall. This is all fine, but despite my best efforts I didn't manage to put it straight in the holder and so it leans rather drunkenly to one side. I've tried, but I can't straighten it without help - if I get down on the floor to fiddle with it, I might never get up again :)) I just have to wait for Big Grandson to come to the rescue.

             I must say that getting out all the Christmas decorations brings back many memories, mostly good ones, though it's hard to feel the same about Christmas this year. I have had to give Spain a miss, and so will be sending love to Son and family on Christmas Day by Facetime. which is I suppose the modern way to do it. I'll be going to Daughter and family (my support bubble) for Christmas Day Lunch, which will be lovely I'm sure. At least Big Grandson and Granddaughter will be there too. so it will seem  semi-normal. I'll be making Cranberry Sauce and Brandy Butter as usual, and Daughter has requested Stuffing for the Turkey-Lurkey (I'm going for a Jamie Oliver recipe) and maybe a Christmas Pudding. Normally I would make a couple of puddings and save one for next year, but I have to admit that I'm not really up for it this year. It may just have to be a Waitrose pudding.

               My usual Christmas Eve would be spent getting last minute shopping and feverishly wrapping presents and filling stockings behind the sofa, while watching "It's a Wonderful Life" and eating sausage rolls and mince pies - and actually I can't imagine a more perfect way to spend the day before Christmas. The year Daughter was born (1981) there was thick snow for six weeks and we had a very traditional, picture postcard Christmas, though it was somewhat marred by the fact that her Father left us on New Year's Eve, when she was only two weeks old and Son was two years old! In spite of that I somehow only remember the good bits and anyway we obviously survived and went on to have many happy Christmases after that. 

                After that short stroll down Memory Lane it only remains for me to wish you all as good a Christmas as you can muster. It won't be like any other I'm sure, but hopefully we can all find something to celebrate with our nearest and dearest. Goodbye and Happy Christmas - with Bells on!