Day 18 - Deck The Halls With Bells Of Holly

This will be a quick blog as I'm tired, and really need to go to bed soon - early start again tomorrow.

Walked to work in my fab wellies in the two foot of snow - no wait! I mean, five to six inches of snow (we got another one or two in the night - but not two foot as some one told me was predicted).  This is the most snow I've ever known to have in Weston.  We just don't get it. 

Then, once home spent the afternoon getting the Christmas tree in (pictures tomorrow now, too zonked to download them etc) and the decorations up and out. 

I was brought up with a house that used to be crammed with decorations.  Seriously, you could hardly see the ceiling.  My dad would hang about a hundred balloons.  He would only decorate the dining room and the lounge, but it was an old bungalow with a picture rail, so was perfect for pinning those old fashioned paper decorations - the ones that you twist.  I still have them - will never part with them, though we don't put them up now.  But with this in mind, I do like to make sure my house is decorated.  We make a difference. 

I've been round some peoples houses and it's really hard to tell if they actually have any trimmings up.  Anyway, I'll try to take some photos.  These days, we have lights outside up.  It wasn't so much the thing back when I was a kid.  I do wonder if the film 'Home Alone' brought the lighting up of houses over here.  That film is rather old, so maybe the American's have been doing it a lot longer than us.  If I've been out with the boys coming back from one of their clubs, now the evenings are dark, we're looking at all the houses with lights on.  I must be a right pain for the person behind me, as I'm driving so slowly!

Not that I'm driving at the moment.  My car is sat on the driveway covered in snow, and that's how it is staying. Well, until the snow melts.

Oh and today I did try to make a snowman with the boys, but believe it or not, it's the wrong type of snow.  It's gone really fine, and just wouldn't compact, even though there is loads of it!

Next week I am looking forward to making mince pies (never done it before) with the boys (if my patience stays intact).  Need to also make my brandy butter and I've bought a small Swiss roll that I'm going to turn into a Yule log for the boys, as they won't be keen on Christmas cake.  And my cake might send you over the limit with just one slice, the amount of brandy and sherry in it - so probably not wise for them to eat it.  They'll probably only want the icing and marzipan anyway. 

Had carol singers at my door tonight.  Five teenagers, obviously just being playing in the snow, as they're gloves are covered, singing We Wish You A Merry Christmas.  No song sheets, nothing.  Yes, they've knocked on my door, expecting what?  I asked if they were collecting for charity - they were not.  I love Christmas, there isn't a bah humbug in sight.  However, I don't like teenagers begging on my doorstep.  Trick or treaters at Halloween - fine.  Supposedly carol singers that can only sing the first line of We Wish You A Merry Christmas - no!  Realistically, what am I supposed to give them.  Will a pound stretch around all five of them? They're a bit old for Freddo Frogs.

Does anyone else get this?  How do you deal with them? 

Anyway, no writing done today, though I've had an idea for The Wedding Favour, which may get changed to One Good Turn.  And no reading either.