year end and year beginning

                          

Im not sure now, where Christmas and New Year went - they both passed in a sea of tinsel, family and biscuits! Every year the big day (evening for us) creeps up quickly, is immensely enjoyed by all and then is just as quickly superseded by New Year and all the resolutions, intentions and new beginnings that come with it. 

We baked copious quantities of sugary, spicy Austrian biscuits, devoured many pre-Christmas meals with children and their partners as they slowly trickled in from faraway places, decked the half finished extension halls with tinsel, trinkets and all manner of fairy lights and tried desperately to finish off last minute hand made gifts. 

I don't know why this is so, year after year. Last year, we picked names out of my old straw gardening hat way back in August and still, at least half of us were madly sewing, woodworking or painting on the very last day! We have been picking names earlier and earlier for the last few Christmas's and for this year we have been really early….. it's already done!! Yes, we all have the name of our secret Christmas person tucked neatly away in our wallets and purses (well, ok, the younger set have saved theirs into various digital devices and I have mine in my purse) so dare I hope that there won't be a mad scramble???

As always though, Christmas Eve was beautiful and relaxed. There is of course the added bonus of having the Small Elf amongst us, which certainly makes it all more exciting.
I even managed to make a couple of new felt tree ornaments which I like to do each year. 

Later there was dancing!! Yes. An impromptu relearning of Tina Turners Nutbush City Limits dance routine. Do you remember it? I sort of did and we all practised and sweated and laughed till we could dance a whole song without mucking up! Oh and the Macarena too. Lots of fun!!! 

Now it's the new year and I am just beginning to feel like I've surfaced from a long period of 'unusual activities'. Still not quite the usual as we don't have any lesson times to anchor the day but nice and relaxed none the less. I'm about to start on a new patchwork quilt, I've written in my 2014 planner, the Best Man and I have had many planning discussions, the overgrown garden is calling my name and most of the visiting children have returned to their own homes. 

It was a wonderful, busy, family Christmas. 

As it should be.

Wishing you all a very relaxed and happy 2014.
And may all your wishes come to fruition.