Faith, Hope and Love

So it’s arrived then? December I mean. There was I thinking it was ages away and in the twinkling of a Christmas light it’s here.

Yes of course I complain:
“Where has all the time gone?
The last year I mean, twelve months, just gone!
What on earth am I going to get you?
Where am I going to store all the food?
The fridge isn’t big enough”.
Then you join in:
“What on earth have you ordered? How many have you invited?”
And back to me like a tennis ball. “Yes we do need all that wine
and the port and if you think I can cope with ½ a bottle of Amaretto left over from last Christmas you’ll be cooking your own Christmas lunch!”

But I love it, love December, all the prep, the carols, the friends dropping in, the drinks parties, the lunches, the family coming over.
Bringing the stuff down from the loft, (Yes, all of it please) forgetting it’s all still on our bed when we head up to bed.
The photos I take, the notes that I make, the lists, the cards and the sparkling lights.
The Christmas china, the table linen and the jolly napkins I like before the day. But, white linen napkins on the day.
The red-stemmed wine glasses, sugared almonds in the red cocktail glass and the chocolates in the little wicker hamper.
The twiggy tree, the beautiful welsh black crib figures with the little bail of straw that has survived another year in the loft. We had that at our old house and we’ve been here fourteen years!
All go on the big windowsill please.
The wrapping paper, ribbons and Washi tape. Yes that’s new but red of course.
Oh! Scented candles and the wreaths and the bells and the holly leaves.
The fairy lights, unravelled all around the room. Fingers crossed and breath held. Will they work? Will they work? Will they work?
Do you remember our dad checking all the beautiful big bulbs, giving them a little twist to see if they were just loose or ‘dud’
These days it’s all LED lights and no such thing as spares.
Oh! Mums golden reindeer! I know it looses its gold bits everywhere and every day, but she loved it and now I do too.
Mums *‘Flight out of Egypt’ that we bought her, she loved it so much and the remaining four figures from the crib we had as children, I like that on my kitchen windowsill. I expect you know the story of the babe wrapped in a bandage?
I’ll find it and post it in a few days.
The shopping, the deliveries, the crush and the rush
The films and the music, the cards and the love.
And the tree, the most beautiful, most perfect tree I can find to decorate with love and memories and maybe a glass of mulled wine while I think of you and the Christmases we’ve shared.

December and me, smiling, happy, singing along with Christmas carols, writing to my blog friends, spending time with ‘here’ friends
Sending love.
Feeling loved.

Faith makes all things possible. Hope makes all things work. Love makes all things beautiful.

December and me, like November and me is Sian’s lovely idea.

*The Flight out of Egypt is a black Welsh Slate figurine depicting this scene