Last week went by in a bit of a whirl. There were all the usual last-minute things to be done; the shopping and an appointment at the hairdresser. I had changed my dental check up in November however, when we went on holiday and the result was 4.15pm on their last afternoon of “normal” service: the day before Christmas Eve. Perhaps something to avoid in future?!

Whilst I was gone, someone was making himself at home and Amy and Edward were settling in too.

The following morning, Christmas Eve, on my way home from my early morning swim, I called into Jolly Nice as they opened. After last year’s fun with our turkey order, we decided to give the supermarket a miss this year and placed our order here. After all, which is the more pleasurable experience: queuing for a car park space or doing the shopping here, in more attractive surroundings?

My veg box was ready too and with my trolley full of turkey, bread from our favourite Salt bakery, a toasting loaf from Hobbs House bakery and some smoked haddock soup for lunch, I would have been quite happy to stand and absorb the atmosphere a little longer.

But it was Christmas Eve. There was work to be done!

Actually, not much really. We spent most of the day sitting around the kitchen table, catching up on news, indulging Oliver the pup with too much attention and simply enjoying each other’s company.

In the evening, we made our traditional cheese fondue (the only recipe in the Fondue book we’ve ever used) and finished with Feuerzangebowle.

All was calm, all was bright. We hung our stockings and hoped that Father Christmas would remember us.

Christmas Day dawned overcast and wet. But not only had Father Christmas visited during the night and filled our stockings with good things, we had a wealth of presents there under the tree too.

But first things first. Come rain or come shine, someone needs a walk!

The rest of us did what needed to be done in the kitchen, got the turkey in the oven and prepped the vegetables.

I cut open the sprout top to see if the angel was there.

Bettine’s arrival signalled time for presents then, and a chance to admire our son’s fine gift-wrapping skills.

A rope of plastic sausages hit the spot for someone!

The rest of us were luckier than that, finding so many lovely surprises under the tree in addition to those over-filled stockings from earlier in the day. Christmas dinner couldn’t have been better - the turkey was delicious and all the trimmings just as we like them.

In fact, there was only one problem all day. Someone (me) lost the top of the bottle of rum when flaming the Christmas Pudding and a temporary solution had to be found. Creative, don’t you think?

(the bottle top was found a day later, in the bag of wrapping paper ready for recycling)

Happy Christmas one and all!!