Christmas at home - as it should be.

Every family seems to have their own unique (and often downright bizarre) Christmas traditions. I mean, sure - the majority of us have a big ole dinner, decorate a tree inside (which, when you think about it, is a really weird concept) and give presents.  But we each have our little ways of celebrating Christmas that make it such a personal time of the year.  I'm like most people in that I like Christmas to be exactly the same every year... None of this going away malarkey, hell no! On Christmas day I can only be at home with my family. And I am rather stubborn about it.

So what are our little Christmas quirks? Well: we always have lime jelly as one of our many puddings after the big feast. I don't know why, we just always have. We never have it at any other time of the year really...
My brother, sister and I always go into my brother's bedroom (he's the oldest you see) to open our stockings before getting the parents up and dragging them out of bed as best we can - as little kids we were always so keen to open our presents from Santa that we literally did drag them out of bed!
After Christmas lunch, it's also a bit of a tradition to play my Dad's awful music from the 70s or whatever and have a bit of a dance round the dining room.

There are so many more little things that we just have to do every year, like having croissants for breakfast, filming us opening our presents, and settling down round a fire in the evening to watch My Family Christmas Special and stuff ourselves with Quality Street. But I just wouldn't have it any other way.

I absolutely love this time of year - the whole festive season that is - and all the little traditions it brings. And that is why I can't wait for Midnight Mass ce soir, and our family Boxing Day walk (followed by a kingsize fry up of leftovers!) on the 26th. It's all about family time as far as I'm concerned...

So I'd like to wish you all a very merry and peaceful Christmas (and hopefully there won't be too many family arguements!)