Christmas 2015

I wish I had more discipline when it came to updating weekly, but I believe this time I have a valid excuse. Between Christmas and working, I've simply been too busy, too tired, or simply too full to focus on writing. Anyway, here I am, still on a post Christmas come-down and starting to develop what promises to be an unpleasant cold.

I was busy busy on the run-up to Christmas, working every day and putting in a couple of extra hours on Christmas Eve to help out a bit. Honestly, it came so quickly this year because of working so much, and I appreciated that. I usually feel like Christmas takes forever to come around, but before I knew it I was coming home at 6pm on Christmas Eve, ready for the festivities! I did some late-evening baking of Lebkuchen as a gift for my Mum and stepmum. I had a glass of Prosecco while I baked, courtesy of Ryan, who had been given some from work.

Christmas Day was brilliant. We were up at around 10, and had our usual fried breakfast. I had some bacon, toast and beans - doesn't sound like much, but I was saving my stomach for the grand feast that afternoon. Mum, Martin, Ryan and I opened presents. I had quite a good haul, including a couple of nice perfumes ('Fame' by Lady Gaga, and 'Midnight Fantasy' by Britney Spears). After present opening, it was a quick march getting the presents upstairs, getting dressed and tidying the living room before people started arriving. I decided spikes and flowers were my look for the day:

Liam, Ashleigh and Ethan arrived soon enough. I was ecstatic, having not seen the three of them for ages. Ethan was soon passed around like the world's most adorable parcel as everyone wanted to cuddle with him. He was lovely as usual, smiley and looking around at everything. He was dressed in his little elf suit. Nan also turned up, and had her cuddle with Ethan before getting onto the gin and tonics. I was drinking my Kraken rum at this point, and the red wine was soon brought out for dinner.

Christmas dinner, courtesy of Mum and Martin, was delicious. I ate so much of it, and I had a big piece of Vienetta for afters. We had some of Grandma's homemade crackers, as we do every year. While we all ate, Ethan was in his bouncy chair and he was jumping around by the table. It was so cute.

Liam always does the 'blue steel' in photos.

After dinner, we watched the Queen and opened presents from Liam & Ashleigh and Nan. I got a Hogwarts Library (The Tales of Beedle The Bard, Quidditch Through The Ages, and Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them) from Liam and Ash, and loads of Soap & Glory products from Nan. Pretty pleased with that!

That evening Arron, Kim, Harvey, Paula, Steven, and Ellie joined us. At this point, the house was nicely crowded, and we watched the kids open their various presents. Soon enough, Ellie and Harvey were running around with the Nerf guns Liam had gotten them and shooting everyone. Arron and Kim bought Mum and Martin the UK edition of Cards Against Humanity, and the adults played it until 1am. I have honestly not laughed so much all year; my chest was hurting by the end of it. It was so funny.

I worked on Boxing Day, so I didn't go to Dad's until 4pm. I briefly saw Liam, Ash, Ethan, Nanny Jean, Uncle Paul, and Uncle George before they left. And I ate tonnes again, including a big piece of Dad's amazing lemon meringue pie. I was so full afterwards that I just wanted to lie down. I opened all my presents from Dad and Kath and got loads of cool things - my favourite was the book I got Dad for his birthday ('Goodnight Darth Vader') but in German! It's brilliant!

I had a really great Christmas - even though I have no plans for New Years Eve, and probably won't do much, but I'm happy that the festive season has been so much fun. Also, last night, I finally got to see the new Star Wars movie. It's just as brilliant as everyone is saying, and I was so excited when the movie started. There was a really loud guy who soon shut up when I said loudly, "Are you serious??" - I was glad about this, because I've waited a damn decade for this, and wasn't about to have some bozo ruin it for me (and everyone else in the screen room, obviously).

This post has been terribly disjointed and badly-written, and I apologise. But my sinuses are hurting, and this cold is really beginning to manifest itself. Booooo.