A lovely day yesterday with the family all together. It's not often that we manage that because of my son's work commitments. The grandchildren still insisted on leaving out Santa's mince pie and sherry and carrots for the reindeer even though they are well aware at their age that it's all a fairy tale. More importantly they left stockings for Santa to fill and their parents went along with that happily.
There was a long phone call with all the rest of my family in Cumbria who were gathering from various parts of the world and my nephew even managed to piece in his partner in Switzerland who hadn't been able to make it because of work on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. Living in cosy Devon as we now do, I do miss those Cumbrian fells and lakes (though not the weather).
Why do so many boxes of chocolates appear among my presents? I'm afraid I shall have to go on a New Year's diet so that I can comfortably fit into my new jumpers. Christmas dinner, cooked by my son-in-law, was delicious and I was pleased with the pudding and cake that was my contribution to the feast. The same old decorations appear on the cake every year - a team of 10 jolly Santas tumbling about in the snow-covered cake.
I wish you all a very happy, healthy and peaceful New Year. May the conflicts around the world soon be resolved. May unrest here be settled with care and love. As I grow older I do wish for a better world and a resolution of all the problems that beset it.
