Gathering time

I put our crib up yesterday, I realised that it was time for the Magi to be setting out from the East. The shepherd got a taxi I think as he has already arrived with his flock, they'll have to wait for the 25th like everybody else though.
I've had a busy day today. First off I put marzipan on the Christmas cake. I always leave it too late so I'm quite pleased I've remembered this year. As i was in the kitchen, I then made another batch of cranberry sauce, we're having three separate Christmas meals this year so we all need a jar and we need some left over to go with brie in sandwiches, for the rest of the year too.
Next up was the fish tank which needed its regular clean. I was glad that I had put some of the oxygenating plants into a tub in the cold frame as it saved me a trip to the pet shop.
Next job was to finish writing the last few Christmas cards so they are now done and ready to post.
Into the lounge next and onto the essential task of tying the strings on the Lindt chocolate teddies to hang them on the tree. The girls are here tomorrow and I'm pretty sure that Eilidh will be checking that everything is in place.
The final job before I sat down was to build the Christmas card holders I'd bought yesterday. I knew it had to be simple as they have been around for 20 years, but I hadn't seen them complete and the instructions made no sense to me. Last night though I googled them and there was a lovely YouTube video to show me what to do. Card tree is now built and the cards are much less likely to be sent flying by the cats. I also discovered that the person who designed the card tree lives locally and has built a very successful business on the back of her design. Nice to support local people even inadvertently.
The flowers on my next orchid are starting to open and to my delight, as I hoped, it's the yellow one, which I really like. A blip for the future.
Keep safe everyone the vaccine is here.

And I've just realised that apart from running out to the coldframe I haven't crossed the threshold all day