Ho! Ho! Ho!

Just in case you have been off on a mission to Mars or in a coma for the last couple of months, you can't help but notice that we are now firmly in advent.  Christmas is just around the corner, turkeys and other tasty animals are being fattened ready for the oven.  Let's get one thing straight before we start; I love Christmas.  It doesn't make me grumpy and I don't go all Ebeneezer Scrooge.  It might be because of the kids and all the excitement that goes with them, it might be the gifts or it might just be the food and drink.  We have put the decorations up and Victoria has turned our hall and stairs into Santa's grotto, and before you ask, yes the big fella is real, of that there can be no doubt.  It is fair to say, there is a certain amount of competition in our house as to who is the biggest kid - me or the kids; I think I generally win.  This year we also have the added bonus that we aren't cooking Christmas dinner (although Tina might feel at a bit of a loose end), we have generously been invited to my brother and sister in law's to celebrate with them, kids and all.  Look up "gluttons for punishment" in the dictionary and it will likely read "Darrel and Sharon, Christmas 2009".  Or rather it will when I write the dictionary for all those words I use that other people accuse me of having made up.


So what is my quandary?  It's an odd thing really.  Despite my absolute passion for Christmas, come Boxing day, or thereabouts, I'm itching to get all the decorations put away.  It's a strange thing.  The tree looks pretty, all the decorations are jolly and festive and I will drag the Christmas celebrations out as long as possible - even enjoying Christmas specials reruns on the BBC.  I enjoy putting the decorations up but a couple or three weeks later I've had enough of them.

So here's to Christmas, however you celebrate.  Whether you see it as the Christian(ish) festival or if you're stuck firmly in Briton's druid past and prefer Yule or if you have no religion nor belief, just have a couple of days off, after all, who really needs a reason or excuse to celebrate?

I know that people who know me may well be a little surprised by this blog post, you expect a full on grumpy Christmas, or maybe you suspect I have employed a ghost writer but no, I promise you, this is all me.