In one respect I am glad to see the end of November, it is
a miserable month. Always damp gloomy
weather, the afternoons dissolve into evening with such speed, leaves fall
like a snowstorm and memories flood back of the month when we said a final
goodbye to my Mother. At least this year the final day of the month is crisp bright and cheerful.
However, these galloping dates mean that December is
getting ever closer and lists are getting longer in preparation for Christmas.
The shops are already full of the usual piles of extra stock, in anticipation
of the public response to wall to wall advertising of products we would never
afford a second glance in any other month.
I need to take a red pen to the Christmas card list, I’m
sure some of these people can’t even remember who we are. On the other hand I look at some names and
wish that we had more time to keep up old friendships, maybe that is something
for retirement.
My thoughts back in August of a more minimalist festive
season have mellowed and we are on track for the full works again this year. It seems there is no way of having a break from our usual Christmas Eve party,
the Darlings tell me that their friends are already talking about it. Apparently, it simply would not feel like
Christmas if they didn’t join us for our jolly early evening gathering, which
manages to grow in numbers as the years pass.
It started as a quick drink back here after the chaotic crib service
when the girls were little. As we
outgrew the church service the event changed in character and before we knew it,
our guests have planned to attend even before being invited!
No time to linger on a keyboard. I should be folding my
packets of currants, apricots, figs and prunes into the warmth of excessive
amounts of Grand Marnier and orange juice, so the fruits can soak for a few
days and fill the house with wonderful aromas, before being baked into the most
delicious Christmas cake. Aah, bliss!
