Fading Fast

The great sadness about Christmas, for me anyway, is that it is just getting to be perfect when it is nearly over.  All the commercialism drives us towards the 25th of December, from the end of August.  However, the very second it is over everything is then geared towards January 1st, and then immediately after that the focus is Easter. 

I have always resented New Year because if totally signifies the end of Christmas.  I love the idea of 12 days of Christmas, and as far as I am concerned the days which follow the 25th are by far the best. All the hard work is done, and all that remains is the gentle loveliness of spending time with family and friends, eating food which is already prepared, and reflecting on Christmases past.

This afternoon I was pottering in the kitchen, cleaning up last night's supper dishes (and when do you ever usually get the chance to leave dishes until the next day?) while making a big pot of Chilli for tomorrow's tea. 

There is still snow lying outside, but the sun was shining brightly through the kitchen door, and cast an interesting shadow on the wall behind the table.  I had left a half bottle of sherry sitting out, beside a table decoration of some plants in a nice red planter which was adorned with glitter. 

I felt that the image of the Merry Christmas gel sticker on the door, and the kind of ethereal bottle and planter image was a bit symbolic of what happens to Christmas in the days leading towards New Year - it's still Christmas, but it's fading fast. 

Back to work tomorrow, much to my chagrin.  Still, at least there are only 3 days to go before we are off on holiday again. 

Hope all you guys have had a wonderful Christmas weekend.