Tuesday, December 26

So, that's Christmas for another year.  Thank goodness, we've evolved from the old rituals: early-morning wake up to open our presents, the house filled with heat from the turkey cooking in the oven, piles of roast vegetables and everyone crashed out in the afternoon.  It's a shame you don't see kids riding their new bikes around the streets any more but that was probably a short-lived phenomenon, anyway.

This year, the Christmas feast was ham, prawns and salad, and lots of fruit.  Jamie and Nera managed to get hold of a crayfish which was a rare treat and we still had hot Christmas pudding, but that was only by accident.  Marilyn had promised to provide Christmas pudding for the Probus Christmas party, and bought enough for thirty people at the Craft Fair (at great expense).  Then the plans were changed so we have enough pudding to last us for months.

Christmas traditions are interesting,built, as they are, on very flimsy foundations.  I read an article which says all our traditions are based on just two books and a poem: the bible and A Christmas Carol, and 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. There is nothing in the bible about an Inn or a stable, and there is no mention of sheep and cows standing around the baby.  But the PR and Marketing people have turned the bones of a story into the behemoth it is today.

We finished the day by watching the Royal Command Performance.  How English it is!  Every year, they trot out heroes of past glories.  This year it was Torvil and Dean, and Shirley Bassey.  They farewelled a couple more cheesy comedians, including Bruce Forsyth, which gave everyone a chance to enjoy his particularly cheesy catchphrase, 'It's nice to see you, to see you nice.'  And the Royal guests had to sit there and look amused at being teased and mocked.  

It was a great day.