Our trees and decorations will go up on the 21st December as usual. Too early and we find we are bored with it all by the time Christmas arrives.
The only things that will be put out before the 21st will be the Nativity set which sits on a table in the entrance hall (as is traditional the "Wise Men" will move closer to the crib each day until Christmas Day) and the Children will, of course, have their Advent Calendar in the dining room ~ they will find it there when they get up in the morning.
The children really do get enough of pre Christmas hype forced on them at school without coming home to it ~ we believe that they should appreciate the reasons for Christmas are more than German Traditions (imported by Prince Albert) and the grabbing of as many presents as possible.
I asked them last night what they hoped for as presents this year. 15 year old wants a break from GCSE revision. 10 year old wants to be 11 and says there is nothing in the world that he wants and the 7 (soon to be eight) year old would like to be cured of his egg and nut allergies. They all said they wanted me to be well again. Two of them have never known me well.
