I love it when a plan comes together...

Everything appears to be back to normal today, shops are all open again, buses are running as normal and the house is suddenly very quiet and very empty. The last part is actually quite welcome, although this Christmas will go on record as one of the best I've ever had.

My six year old niece is at just the right age to get into the magic of it all and for the record, I never stopped believing. Christmas Eve we left out the customary mince pie, glass of sherry and a couple of carrots for Rudolph and his mates. We were obviously good little girls and boys this year as more presents had appeared under the tree and we found this in the kitchen the next morning:



I'm not entirely sure about the walnut, but hey, I might have been if I were 33 years younger.

My first attempt at Christmas dinner went exactly to plan and judging from everyone's comments and the amount that was left, I guess I can rack that up as a success. Contrary to my earlier protestations, I did manage to prepare plenty of vegetables so the entire choice consisted of turkey (surprise, surprise), sausages wrapped in bacon (or pigs in blankets as we know them), sausagemeat and sage & onion stuffing balls, roast potatoes, duchess potatoes, yorkshire puddings, carrots, sweetcorn, cauliflower, brocolli and sprouts. Thank goodness for the steamer I got as a housewarning present. Special thanks should also go to Em for the delicious home-made cranberry jelly. It wouldn't be Christmas dinner without eating too much so there were also mini Christmas puddings and mince pies to follow with either custard or ice-cream (or both). Coffee and Christmas cake to finish off, followed by an after-dinner nap whilst trying to watch The Polar Express.

So, a great Christmas Day had by all and only fifty one and a bit weeks to the next one...