On Christmas Eve at 6.30pm we attended the Carols by Candlelight service at Baldersby St James; the church looked absolutely beautiful with hundreds of tiny tea lights flickering in the darkness.
Once back at home in my daughter’s new house we enjoyed a simple evening meal of baked potatoes and salads then gathered around the fireplace for the children to open their Christmas Eve boxes containing new pyjamas, a bedtime book and a small game each. It was time to hang out the stockings and quieten down ready for bedtime.
On Christmas Day we all travelled a few miles up the road to my sister’s house to gather there with all the rest of the family for a mammoth lunch of turkey or nut roast, five different vegetables plus the roasties and every kind of sauce imaginable! The three tables pushed together stretched to a good 15 feet long to accommodate us all this year as there were 13 of us in total.
Afterwards we opened our Not so Secret Santa presents and many others, all beautifully wrapped with homemade tags. My sister had made up a little stocking for each of us containing an orange, some chocolates and a couple of inexpensive gifts appropriate to the recipient. My stocking had a tub of Green and Blacks hot chocolate powder and some tiny baking cases for making sweets. DH got some fancy cheese in the shape of a snowman.
By the end of the day we were all tired out but everyone had a great time, especially my lovely mum.
So that is another Christmas gone by – doesn’t it take ages to get there and then is over so quickly.
I hope all my readers wherever you were for your Christmas and whatever you were doing had a good one. xxx
where the journey takes me 2 
It sounds as if you have had a wonderful;, love and laughter filled Christmas Day one way and another. I ‘m so glad. Happy Boxing Day too.
xx
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we had a lovely day Joy and I know from reading your blog that you did too. x
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All those individual touches – so beautiful. What a lovely Christmas.
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That was a beautiful way to spend your Christmas – all nicely set off by the lovely church, splendid supper with grandchildren, and then the multi-generational gathering and dining. Perfect.
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The church was beautiful -well done to all those decorating it and lighting all the candles. x
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A wonderful Christmas filled with family and smiles.
I love the thoughtful stockings your sister made.
Merry Christmas, Vivien. X
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They were a lovely surprise and just little delightful things x
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What beautiful memories you all made this Christmas! That’s a very long table(s)! Such lovely photos of your Mum. Hope you have a great Boxing Day x
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We are back to the two of us now and also enjoying the peace. x
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Glad to hear that you all had a lovely day. How wonderful to have so many generations all together in one place. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours.
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It can be exhausting though but lovely at the same time. x
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Thank you for sharing your festive Christmas with all your blog followers, Viv. Your grandchildren are just gorgeous and your Mum looks like she is having a wonderful time with all her family.
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Thank you Chris – we had a good time all together for once. x
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Looks like you had a lovely Christmas. So glad for you.
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Thank you Mary. Hope you did too.
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What a lovely and thoughtful Christmas you all created. The pyjamas and books for the children were a brilliant move – more families should do that! How far apart in age are Sweetie and Freddie? It must have felt good to have a happy, settled day with your mum.
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Only two months – Violet is older and bigger too – she may even eat little Freddie if we are not careful as she loves her food!
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