Hello December!!!

December is here! How did that happen? I seem to have blinked and we’ve gone from Spring to Winter in an instant.

Being a November baby I have come to realise that as soon as I’ve seen my birthday in we are on count down to the big day! Fluffy PJ’s, mugs of hot chocolate and a roaring log fire is what I have come to love since moving into our cottage.

We are not a big family anymore so get together’ are often small and intimate. My parents own a pub in the Warwickshire countryside and my husband’s parents live in Spain so unless we go to my parents for Christmas it is usually just the four of us with the dogs and cats.

Looking back at my own childhood at Christmas time I can remember the excitement the advent calendar gave me, the endless rehearsing for the traditional Mary & Joseph school play and the writing to Santa about what presents I wanted. I really miss visiting my grandparents house where they would have a huge real pine tree in their grand hallway with presents galore for all the family and friends underneath it.  Christmas dinner was a sight to behold, their large table was often set for 8 – 10 guests, with gold ornate cutlery and cut glass precisely laid out for each person. Everyone had to pull the cracker and wear their paper hat before a lavished 5 course meal usually consisting of fish, two meats, vegetables, puddings and cheese and biscuits along with copious amounts of wine, whisky for the men and sherry for the women was put before them. On Boxing day, my grandparents always had an ‘open house’ party where fancy dress was optional, plenty of alcohol available, a buffet fit for a King and dancing to ‘agadoo‘ and ‘Oops upside Your Head’ was insisted upon. They had such a zest for life and spending money meant nothing to them as long as everyone had a good time. It sounds a bit corny but it was the 80’s and when party goers ranged from friends of the family to the Chief Constable of the local police station and his wife, who could ever say it was ‘normal’ and yet it was my Christmas, every year for many years and I’m grateful I have these wonderful memories.

I think as the years have gone by we have all mellowed somewhat and we don’t have such Christmas’ anymore. For one, my grandparents divorced some years ago, Grandad moved away and we lost touch. Nan was very much part of our lives up until January this year when she passed away. This will be the first Christmastime I won’t buy her a Poinsettia plant and perfume for her birthday on 14th December. Still, we have the opportunity to make memories of our own, with our own children. I doubt we shall have an open house party on Boxing Day but log fires, Christmas music, board games and plenty to eat will do us just fine. We have glorious woodland and farmers fields surrounding us and although we’re expecting a cold winter, I am quite excited at the idea of taking the children out for a long walk and get them to see just how truly blessed we are to live in such a beautiful village in Central England.

So until the next time. Take care and wrap up warm, coz ‘Baby it’s Cold Outside‘ 🙂 x