Christmas was really good. It made me realise that Christmas is so much better when you give it a purpose - all those christmases where I have sat around feeling a bit sullen and miserable basically reverting back into 'little girl mode'. This year I did all the cooking, I arranged the pressies, I got the tree and decorated and I was the one who could've got stressed like my mum usually does. But I didnt. It did help having the week off before christmas to sort all the last minute bits and bobs out and be able to christmas shop when it wasn;t QUITE so busy.

I think that must be why christmas is so much nicer when you have kids - watching them get excited and enjoy christmas probably adds to the enjoyment. After you're all 'grown up' it can become one of those days where you're supposed to feel all happy and jolly but the reality is spending a whole two days with family who you don't spend all that much time with any more and expect to get on and love being with them. I for one always found it hard. However this year I think I did admirably well, and my mum had no excuse to get stressed as whenever she started helping too much she was ordered back onto the sofa to rest up and drink more port and lemon. I don't think she minded too much.

You should've seen her face when she was opening her stocking as well, she was actually crying as she was getting her presents...awww sweet!! And the london eye on Christmas Eve was good too.

SO...now it's the dreaded new year celebrations. I like new year, but this year don't have all that much planned so we shall see how it turns out....


Oh and the new man did well - he helped when he needed to, bought me a lovely couple of pressies and did the hoovering after everyone left yesterday...definitely a keeper.