Christmas Eve....

Sunday was relaxed and spent getting bedrooms finished, beds made, and I marzipanned and iced my cake, as well as making more mince pies and some short bread to boot. or to eat, actually....

I felt so relaxed, I even invited J and P over for tea, so we had a good reason to sit and relax with friends and begin to feel Christmassy. I do love entertaining, and at last feel in the mood for being sociable.....

Clive and I were lucky enough to be given tickets for the candlelit carol concert in the Abbey that evening..the Abbey was packed, the singing by the choir just wonderful, and it was a joy to be there. We were all given candles to hold, and then all the lights go out, so we all sing by candlelight, which is just beautiful. I am so tired, you know by now that I can't keep awake at any event when I get the chance to sit down, now I know I can sleep sitting up and hold a lit candle upright at the same time....

The service is two hours long, we haven't eaten, but I have left a joint of beef in the oven...by 10pm, a roast dinner is more than welcome..the it's time for wrapping some presents and going to bed..for tomorrow is Christmas Eve, one of my favourite days of the year....

C goes off early to do some jobs and fetch his mother, I go off early to a nearby farm shop and buy all the vegetables..it is wonderfully calm and a joy to shop, and I bring joy to their day by wearing a pair of flashing Christmas earrings..I have several pairs to choose from.....

When home, I manage to do final bed changing and put small tasteful flashing Christmas trees in each bedroom. The it is time for a coffee and a mince pie, and my flashing earrings are joined by DC wearing his Father Christmas hat, delivering presents. When we are joined by Laura, who has been let out of work early, she accepts without blinking, her mother, complete with large flashing angels on her ears, entertaining Father Christmas to coffee..well, she would, wouldn't she?

By the time James arrives home, and C gets back with the mother in law, Laa is chatting to me in the kitchen while I make a large pot of leek and potato soup for our lunch....I feel so domestic and calm it is frightening.

I then sit and chat during the afternoon, thinking this is the most relaxing Christmas Eve I have ever known! We have to drag ourselves away from the fire at 7pm to go to friends for drinks...having read K's blog, about her family gathering to sing and play carols together, that would be my idea of heaven, but my family wouldn't join in, sadly....

C spends most of the evening in the kitchen, doing special Jamie Olive things with veg and turkey, it keeps him busy and me and m-in-law just relax and watch TV. Then it's time for bed, and I try to contain my excitement about the Big Day..