Less than 2 weeks!

or

Help, I've nothing done!

Well it's December and it's past time to enter into the Christmas spirit.  This was brought home to me in work today where we had a Christmas jumper day.  I didn't participate, I didn't think it was appropriate.  Bah humbug and all that!  But hey, I am participating in the Kris Kindle and picked my 'victim' today.  It's always a nice way to break up for the Christmas, with a (hopefully) nice present.  I have some ideas of what to get, but it all depends on whether or not I can get to the shops.

I should be prepared.  The weekend before last, I helped out a Christmas market.  Not quite as nice as the Christmas market in Frankfurt I went to with the oul pair last year, but still it was a sign.  And tomorrow, I'm playing a Christmas concert, my first one on the cello.  Christmas is always a busy time of Christmas concerts and singing carols.  (I got myself roped into an impromptu choir at the Christmas market).

So in between concerts and silliness at work, there's still a lot to be done.  Make a present list, try to figure out what people want, go to the shops.  Don't forget the wrapping paper "5 for 50!" as they used say on Moore Street.  I'm sure it's gone up now.  I'm very bad at the cards.  Some years I decide that I'm not going to send any.  Others I enthusiastically buy enough to send to the whole country.  Either way, I'm not too good at actually sending them.  Some years I have them all written, but somehow they never make it into the post.  I did buy some already this year (damn charities and their emotional blackmail) but they could well remain in the bag until next year.

Then there's the decorations.  There are some outside lights up in my area already but not too many.  It's probably down to the continuing recession.  Those I have seen tend, on the whole, to be quite tasteful.  Thankfully the tackiness of yester-year seems to have died with the tiger.  No harm! I haven't put up any.  It seems like far too much effort.  Someone called me a grinch today.  They might not have been too far out.

One thing I usually look forward to at Christmas is the endless array of parties and revellery that one is obliged to partake in.  Now, I have been to a lot of parties in the last couple of months.  It's been averaging at about one a week, but unfortunately these have all been 40th birthday parties.  I say unfortunately because mine is just around the corner.  There hasn't been as much drinking at Christmas in the last couple of years, as a number of my friends have started pushing out babies and are more interested in having an early night than a bit of craic.  However, I still have a few dates in my diary and on the bright side, I'll end up with more cash in my wallet at the end of it!

Whatever happens, come Christmas day, I'll be with the whole family, opening presents, and stuffing myself with turkey, ham, stuffing, gravy, roasted potatoes and Christmas pudding.  My favourite dinner of the year.  I bags a leg!  Must remember to wear an elasticated waist...