More and Photos to follow.......
To put us in the mood for Christmas we visited the Windsor Illuminations with the Invicibles.
We thoroughly enjoyed our evening. Excellent light shows on easy to navigate trails and the weather was kind.
Caroline and Mike kindly host the Rees/Hilton Get Together party every year. It's not a huge party, there's 17 of us. It's become a family Christmas tradition and starts off the magical season. So great to all catch up and spend time together.
We visited Kingston Lacy just before Christmas. The National Trust always go to a lot of trouble to make it all festive. So many decorated trees in the House for a Christmas Ball.
Afterwards we enjoyed a woodland walk around the estate.
We were invited to spend Christmas at Caroline's. Mike and Chloe decided to go for a Christmas Day Plunge in the sea. I decided to spectate. What an amazing sight to see them and their friends taking the plunge into the sea! The atmosphere was electric, some of the costumes were truly spectacular, and the festive spirit shone brighter than ever. Alun and family also decided to take the plunge. I really enjoyed my hot chocolate with Baileys.
After hot showers it was time to open the presents. Jamie and Chloe had opened all their presents when Mum and Dad said look inside your Christmas stockings. There were a pair of Mickey Mouse socks in them. Jamie initiallly pulled a face then said "Wait a minute, are we going to Disney?". Chloe looked under the tree and there they found Disney soft toys holding their passports. How exciting.
How different from my Christmas presents as a child.
On Christmas Eve we always left a glass of sherry and a mince pie for Father Christmas and, of course, the next morning, the contents of the glass and the mince pie had mysteriously disappeared! An old pillow case was left at the foot of my bed. I remember waking up at some ridiculously earlt hour on Christmas morning and feeling in the dark, the missshapen pillow case and that thrill, knowing that Father Christmas had been. It would be filled with all sorts of goodies.... Annuals - my favourite was Bunty or Judy then later Jackie Maybe an Enid Blyton Famous Five book. A magic colouring book and brush, this was truly magical, a drop of water and the colours came to life! A cut out dress up doll book. A net of chocolate coins Games like Snakes and Ladders or Tiddly Winks A Cadbury's Selection box A tangerine.
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