Mummy, Daddy he's been, the excited voices drift up from downstairs, the Christmas Tree having magically been transformed with packages, the mince pies eaten as Santa maintains the vision of 'shared goodwill' across the streets
and hedgerows. There will be a special feeling of Happy Christmas" amongst the neighbours as the children try out the new bicycle or rush off to their friends nearby to discuss what they got for Christmas.
With a credit card having transformed Christmas into an orgy of giving and spending its far removed from the austerity of my own childhood but those austere days bring a simplistic glow as my parents did their best to fill the stocking tied to the end of my bed.
It was no less magical because the gifts were smaller less glitzy. Father Christmas had been and the mystique held one more year, that of a fat man in a red suit drawn by reindeer sweeping across the sky, squeezing down the chimney with my gifts was too precious to loose.
With a credit card having transformed Christmas into an orgy of giving and spending its far removed from the austerity of my own childhood but those austere days bring a simplistic glow as my parents did their best to fill the stocking tied to the end of my bed.
It was no less magical because the gifts were smaller less glitzy. Father Christmas had been and the mystique held one more year, that of a fat man in a red suit drawn by reindeer sweeping across the sky, squeezing down the chimney with my gifts was too precious to loose.
The excited squeaks, the sound of paper
being torn from those so carefully wrapped presents, the hopefully
gleeful sound of pleasure as the gift meets approval, all this is in the
past now but it brings happy memories of the years
when we smiled with satisfaction having brought it off once again.
Every year these days we remind each other
"no gifts" but each year like a broken election promise we sneak out and
buy just that little something to avoid the embarrassment of
'receiving' yet empty handed you protest "but you said".
Because it's simpler it doesn't lack the appreciation and amongst the
clatter of cooking and the smell of the roast turkey the table will be
littered with nicks and nacks, last minute ideas settled in amongst the
socks, a glimmer of the thought that went into
the choosing, a measure that someone cared enough to go out and try.
It's the essence of Christmas that we remember each other. The phone call, or more often, the Skype or FaceTime call to friends and family. It's a moment to reflect that the address book has entry's that are no longer available, that this year a call to someone you love is no longer possible. It's the accountancy of old age but there are still enough to make the morning a happy time to ring and say hello.
The weather still seems abnormally warm. No sign of snow this year, my bed has the minimal duvet on it and the usual chill when you have to go to the toilet on a call of nature is not the torment it usually is at this time of the year. I don't know what the nocturnal animals make of it all but I can well do without the cold.
Angela and Marie are with me so we will soon be up and about, perhaps a walk on the river bank or through the Hatfield forest would be nice except Marie finds walking too far, a pain so perhaps another cup of tea and a mince pie will suffice !!!
Happy Christmas to you all !!! 😘
It's the essence of Christmas that we remember each other. The phone call, or more often, the Skype or FaceTime call to friends and family. It's a moment to reflect that the address book has entry's that are no longer available, that this year a call to someone you love is no longer possible. It's the accountancy of old age but there are still enough to make the morning a happy time to ring and say hello.
The weather still seems abnormally warm. No sign of snow this year, my bed has the minimal duvet on it and the usual chill when you have to go to the toilet on a call of nature is not the torment it usually is at this time of the year. I don't know what the nocturnal animals make of it all but I can well do without the cold.
Angela and Marie are with me so we will soon be up and about, perhaps a walk on the river bank or through the Hatfield forest would be nice except Marie finds walking too far, a pain so perhaps another cup of tea and a mince pie will suffice !!!
Happy Christmas to you all !!! 😘
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