The Christmas preparation is going well. Presents have been bought a majority have been wrapped. Dad's traditional stockpile of Pringles is building up beautifully and tomorrow we are going to brace ourselves to do some food shopping. Yes, that's right. Food shopping the Saturday before Christmas. It will be hell. But we will buy fancy stuffing, exciting cheeses, crackers, good veggies (and bad veggies if Dad gets his way) and I can persuade him to get stuff I want but don't want to pay for or carry home. Stuff like nice bread and fruit juices. Dad always points out that the supermarkets are all open again on Boxing Day and there's no reason for the buying frenzy, but he still joins in and makes sure we're well stocked up. I think it's so we can survive if we get snowed in. He probably fears a repeat of the "great blizzard of '62" that he's always on about.
So yes, Christmas is set to be a good one. Although one of my sisters may not be here for Christmas morning. We're the youngest and we always sit in bed and empty stockings before going downstairs and sitting on the floor to hand out and open presents. The parents and our older sister will sit and drink tea like the adults they are. It will be weird having a grown up Christmas. Of course I'm 21 and she's 24, our childish edge to Christmas was bound to go at some point. I can cope if Mum doesn't bother with stockings this year, but the thought of sitting on the sofa instead of the floor to open presents is strange! I will try to battle through though, I promise.
For a little extra Christmas cheer below are some photos of the Christmas illumination, landscape things in Leicester Town Square. When we were little we would go into town just to see what they were. This year Noddy was on one side and Paddington Bear was on the other.
And with that all I can do is wish you all very happy Christmases and hope that you see the New Year in with style (I shall be tipsy and making a fool of myself no doubt, making you all proud!).
Merry Christmas x
