So this is Christmas….

…and it’s so close I can hear Santa’s sleigh bells ringing!

When I was younger I awoke late one Christmas Eve and could have sworn it was to the sound of bells. The sound was coming form my rooftop. Naturally I knew that Mr Claus was dropping off the items that my little brother, sister and I had waited all year to see. But the one thing that is so fresh in my mind I felt like I did it this morning is the ritual my family and I used to go through to put up the tree. The carols music we played whilst dad climbed up the step ladder into the roof to retrieve all the decorations. The fight me, my brother and sister had in who was going to put the angel on top of the tree – this went on for so long Dad had to lay down the law and get us to take turns each year.



We’d hang all the trinkets and tinsel on the tree and watch as it glistened back at us. The smell of the pine needles are what told me it was Christmas time. Smelling that exact smell today as dad dragged in the gorgeous tree took me back in time to the place where I got so excited each year. All the fond memories came rushing back to me. But this year it was different. My brother was at work and my sister was out shopping with friends so was no where to be seen. There was no music, no decoration snatching and definitively no argument on who was putting the angel on her home for the next 4 weeks. The only sound I could hear was mum instructing dad and I on which way the tree was slanting and how to get it in it’s upright position. It’s kinda sad that we’ve all grown up and don’t do those little things that mean’t so much to each of us together anymore. That one simple task of setting up ‘the tree’ each year was such a huge event and now has diminished into something that we’ll get around to doing when we have time……

I think these days my family and I appreciate Christmas for what it’s really for; catching up and spending time with the ones you love, your family.

And maybe if we be good Santa will drop by as usual on Chrissy Eve!

Til Next Time,

Girl Next Door xox