Spirits again

How did Christmas get here so fast? When I last looked at the calendar it was only October! But no matter how much I protest it is indeed here and the children are so excited they will probably spontaneously combust by this afternoon. In response to all this excitement I'm hiding out in the Marina office, wondering how long I can keep my head down before I get a phone call from them. If I'm honest I also love Christmas and can't help feeling that well of excitement on Christmas Eve. Now I'm older the frenzy of Christmas presents isn't what does it for me anywhere near as much as the feeling of having time to just unwind and all be together. The Marina office has closed now for a couple of days – the only time we ever do close but the farm carries on – the cows have to be milked every day of the year, but this year is special – Angus has Christmas day off (barring emergencies). The team at the farm will have no idea just how special that time is to us and words and gifts can't thank them enough. We will have a traditional family Christmas with Angus's father Richard at the head of the table, turkey and all the trimmings from the village butchers and a considerable amount of Christmas spirit. Which reminds me, one of the children asked me the other day "what is Christmas spirit?" as I tried to explain about giving and sharing and peace on earth and all that, she looked really confused, pointed to my stash of home made damson gin on the kitchen windowsill and said "what's all that then?"........
Merry Christmas everyone – wherever you are, whatever you're doing, take a moment to stop and rest and think of everything you have rather than all the things you haven't. x