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Its time for the F word... Frenzied Festivities....

I am about to hit chaos... I'm off to Leeds today battling past Metro Centre traffic down the pesky A1 into the grand metropolis of the big city to pick up my family so we can engineer our own madness and spend the festive season together back up here in rural Toggie delight.  Really looking forward to a house full of madness and noise two young children can bring and a hopefully calming walk on the beach on Christmas day. 

I can't fit them all in the car so I'm picking up my best girls and the boys are coming up on the train after work on Christmas eve by which time we will be almost totally crazed with excitement.  Or maybe, if we are lucky (haha)  the small creatures who are really what the whole kit and caboodle is about will have passed out slumbering deep as Santa flies though leaving the presents under the tree. 

This is probably the last year our 8 year old granddaughter will believe in the magic of the big red suited man... in fact we are not sure she isn't kidding herself although she did seem genuinely thrilled by the letter she got from Santa and very relieved that he knew she would be at Nanas house who incidentally has a proper chimney...

deck the halls....
In honour of a family Christmas the house is decked out with as much tat and streamers as I could fit in, the disco tree flashing dementedly in the window and fairly lights to rival Las Vegas... there's enough food already to feed several armies and I may have gone a bit overboard with bottles of fizz... both sugar loaded and the alcohol variety

Gifts are wrapped and Santas lot hidden next door.. ready for retrieval late Sunday night and I'm just currently enjoying the lull before the storm.

We are lucky to be able celebrate seasonal festivities as a family and I intend to make the most of it as its not a given.. even with the best intentions, circumstances, health, wealth ... Christmas can be a difficult time for a lot of people... not every one has a family to liven up the occasion or even want one... sad times and memories happen even on festive holidays and they hit harder as the expectation of enjoyment is almost frenzied... so enjoy and celebrate what you have... especially your little ones - for me that's what its about.  A single day where we are fortunate enough to be able to forget worries and give our loved ones magic, giddiness, love, excitement, far too many presents, and hopefully some good memories... who knows what the future holds ..

The crisps, chocolate and fizz binge starts here... Party hats on... here goes... time to hit the road...

annual airing of party hat

I hope everyone can find something to enjoy over the next week  - Seasons greeting to all.  
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