It begins

We have a diminished household this Christmas, as Alex is off having adventures in India, leaving me and Bridget to fend for ourselves. We had our house Christmas back in November, leaving just well-wishing and a couple of presents for this week.

I have a close group of friends who tend to scatter across the world every Christmas - this year we have Canada, England and Australia covered, but for the past few years we've had a tradition of giving Christmas decorations as presents. They post well (if you choose wisely), and are lovely mementos of different stages in all our lives. This year I managed to get mine posted to Imo and Ed in England in time, although Erica will have to wait for hers in Canada... And a parcel for me and Bridget arrived on Christmas Eve morning from Oxford. So it was deemed to be present opening time.

Several ridiculous selfies demonstrating how much we liked the decorations later, and I found the perfect spot for my extra novelty Christmas pegs.

A bit of uni reading in the hammock, an early dinner, and then it was time for our contemplative carols service at church. A brief interlude at home, with a cuppa, some biscuits, and I was off to Midnight Mass at St David's Cathedral in town.

And so, with great rejoicing and remembering, Christmas was welcomed in.