Its surprisingly cathartic to shake off the shackles of a modern day Christmas. 

Because of time and energy constraints this year, earlier this month I thought about what Christmas means to us, as a family. 

And what I came up with is that it wasn’t spending £50.00 on a turkey and then all of the trimmings, coming out of our local supermarket over a £100.00 lighter for a two day celebration/feast/festival.  

And that it wasn’t spending money on cards, writing them and then posting them causing considerable damage to the pocket money reserved for treats, for people that I haven’t seen in many a long year. So last year I stopped sending cards to everyone apart from family, warning family that I won’t be sending cards again.  I didn’t hear any howls of protestation so this year I haven’t bothered.  And all during the month of December I have felt free and lighter of spirit for not having to do that chore.

Our tree went up eventually, Hubby falling out of the attic whilst looking for the Christmas decorations he dropped the full length from attic to floor and landed on the ladder,  did stop play for quite a while, this included a couple of trips to the local hospital and another trip to the doctor.  He is still shaken and bruised but getting better.  Between us we managed to get the tree up.  Fortunately for us we chose a smaller than usual tree this year, (mainly because we gasped for breath at the price of our usual sized tree) but it may have been a blessing in disguise. Son no.2 is home from Uni and for the third year has decorated our tree for us, I think he quite likes this role and he does a lovely job of it.

Our roast meat this Christmas will be in the shape of a shoulder of pork with the bone left in, after trying this earlier in the year, Roast Pork and having our sons remember it with great affection we decided that this would be our centre piece and at £15.00 for a whole shoulder it was worth a go.  In Tudor England it would probably have been the head of a pig, complete with apple in the mouth.  And we will have fruits and dates in the form of a Christmas pudding for afters,  so quite authentic in many ways.

I am making our own Christmas crackers, and our pinata is drying as we speak to be made into a snowman sometime soon. Last year the boys loved bashing that to smithereens with the help of wooden spoons, it was great fun.  I am penny pinching this year, because well, we have three full time students in the house and in our different ways, we are spending money on our studies and one on his accommodation, food etc.  To be honest it has been a breath of fresh air, to stop the traditions that started to feel like a chore and to keep and introduce new ones that are more in keeping with our family.  Son no.1 is already lining up the Monopoly board for Christmas afternoon and evil taunts are being sparred about our poker playing skills.

Boxing day is being kept at the same level with roast pork, salad, pickles and hot crispy chips.  I found a quarter of a bottle of Cointreau in the back of the drinks cupboard I feel Crepe Suzette’s coming on as our boozy desert treat.  And hubby will be taking a bottle of vintage port, champagne and claret out of the thermoelectric cellar, so I don’t think we will do too bad.

I am knitting as fast as my little fingers will go to make hubby a Christmas jumper, I completed a sleeve today.  I don’t think I am going to get this finished in time, but it should get done before the end of December.

One thing is for sure, it will keep him warm coming the cold snaps of January.