Christmas For The Young And Old

This is the first time I have ever spent Christmas Eve at my sister's. Father Christmas leaves HUGE stockings for every person in their house so this year he left me one too, not at the foot of my bed in the lounge, but outside my door. Neither Dolly nor I heard him but we showed Aneeta, my Great-Niece, the evidence he left behind - the carrot stump and cookie crumbs. The first hour of the morning was spent with the Aneeta and her sister Jasmine, opening our stockings. Great fun! Well worth staying Christmas Eve night!

After a breakfast of bagels, eggs and salmon, I left for a long outing. This year Dolly and I decided to drive to Bath to visit a dear family friend for a few hours. We have featured Queenie in a couple of our previous blips. She was one of my mother's dear friends but moved to Bath with her sister a few years ago. Her sister is now in a home so Queenie is a bit more alone than anyone should be for Christmas. I was very much looking forward to the visit and I know she was too, especially since Dolly was coming! She LOVES Dolly and Dolly loves her!

We had a nice light lunch and cups of tea and a homemade Christmas cake made by my sister and Aneeta (blipped a few weeks ago). Queenie showed me some lovely photographs of her as a young woman. I don't think I'd ever seen these before. Isn't she a beautiful woman?

I left mid-afternoon and made it back in time for the big Christmas meal at my sister's, which never happens until late afternoon, so the plan was perfect. After an enormous dinner we enjoyed my sister's homemade Christmas pudding (plum pudding for Americans) - set alight, of course!

I thought I'd miss the big family present opening but that event was still ongoing throughout the evening! (And the following days!). I had received a few things when we'd opened presents on Christmas Eve but didn't realise they weren't the main event! I was very surprised to be presented with a beautifully wrapped box that evening. They were ALL so excited for me to open it! Inside the BIG square box was a much smaller skinny box!! All the adults of the family - 8 of them now, including spouses - had pooled together and got me an Apple Watch!! Wow! I hadn't seen THAT coming!! Truly shocked and excited!! I was vaguely thinking of getting one but knew I wouldn't be able to for a long time, so this was a FAB gift!!!

The evening finished off by me reading a Christmas bedtime story book I'd bought for Aneeta. She was very tired and was up way past her bedtime, but she always loves a story! And Dolly always has to be right there - I don't think she likes sharing my lap too much!

What a wonderful day this has been! Happy Christmas, Blipfriends! We hope you all enjoyed your day!