We were very busy on the day I took this photograph, taking down all the Christmas decorations and Christmas Tree.
So I took a pic of this:
Original photograph taken by me - copyright 2012
Just before packing everything away again, I decided to take this pic, a last look at some bright colours, all twinkly and shiny. The place always looks so bare when we take the decorations down. Perhaps we should just leave them up until next Christmas? 
Well this was certainly a surprise! We were out and about on our travels having a leisurely drive and came across this.
We wonder who is going to be the lucky one to get this!! 
Original photograph taken by me - copyright 2011/2012
Well, it’s certainly a novel present to give to someone! I wonder what the recipient thought of it when they er, er, opened their present!
We had a fairly busy day on Christmas Day. We had Christmas dinner at home, then visited my Mum and brother Alan in the afternoon and then in the evening we visited Paul’s daughter Claire and her partner Andy.
But before all that there was the present opening!!
Original photograph taken by me - copyright 2011/2012
Original photograph taken by me - copyright 2011/2012
Original photograph taken by me - copyright 2011/2012
And as I was the one busy taking all the photographs, there are not any pics of me unwrapping all my lovely gifts!! We had a very enjoyable Christmas and Pippin has played with her new toy every single day since she unwrapped it!
We were out and about on our travels on a not very bright day and it was Christmas Eve.
As we were driving along we saw this.
Original photograph taken by me - copyright 2011/2012
I suppose many people like the idea of a white Christmas with masses of snow everywhere, but in our part of the world that is very rare.
Rainbows are a bit magical aren’t they, so it was good to see this one on Christmas Eve even if it was a bit of a dull day.
When I took this photograph it was two days before Christmas Day. My brother Alan had been taken to hospital two days before that as he was sent there while at the doctor’s surgery because he was quite poorly.
As they only allow two visitors at a time, and Auntie Lucy was very worried about him, Paul took her in with him while I stayed in the car with Pippin. (It’s another story to do with Pippin’s first year of cruelty before coming to us, but she can’t be left on her own so someone is always with her).
Original photograph taken by me - copyright 2011/2012
Alan later came outside with Paul and Auntie Lucy as he wanted a quick ciggie, so he came and sat in the car with us.
After a while he went back in and we went home. It wasn’t until we got home that it seems when Alan got back to the Ward, they told him he could go home! So, he’d just missed his lift!! Anyway, Paul went back a bit later to bring Alan home, so we were very pleased that he wasn’t going to spend Christmas in hospital.
As we are getting near to Christmas when I took this photograph, we had been eating some lovely mince pies.
Because a couple were now out of date we put them on the bird table and as soon as we did, this chap came along and proceeded to eat one.
Original photograph taken by me - copyright 2011/2012
(Apologies for the reflection in the window when I took this photograph).
This chap tucked into the mince pie, but he spat some out so we decided that what he really wanted was some Christmas Pudding, probably with loads of lovely thick cream on it, but he didn’t get any of that – we had that instead!!
We were visited on this particular day by Paul’s son David, our daughter-in-law Mandy and our grandchildren Lauren and Lewis.
The children were amazed at meeting Auntie Lucy as at 101 years old she must have seemed extremely ancient – especially when they probably think someone in their thirties is old!!
Although not showing all the family, this photo is a little record of the visit!
Original photograph taken by me - copyright 2011/2012
David and Lewis are playing with Pippin and her toys and Pips is watching David who has hold of her Huffy Puppy!! It’s almost like she is wondering what he is doing with it and wants it back!!
Lewis has found her big SantaMan (well you can’t really miss him) and is trying to play with Pips, but she only wants to see what David is up to with her toy!!
Following on from my Day 322 post about putting up our Christmas decorations and decorating the tree, here is a photo of something else that Paul decorated!
Original photograph taken by me - copyright 2011/2012
This little chap now looks very plain without his scarf of tinsel!! I think he is going to have to be decorated every year now!!
Every year at this time I decorate our Christmas tree and Paul puts up all the decorations.
This year as we have Auntie Lucy staying with us, she wanted to help. Obviously we couldn’t let her go clambering up ladders or over furniture to help with the decorations so she helped me with the tree instead.
Original photograph taken by me - copyright 2011/2012
This photo shows Auntie putting the finishing touches to the tree.
It’s actually several years since she decorated a tree. As she became older she found it a bit hard to do so every year we have taken a 2 foot tree to her, which we have already decorated for her and she then sets it up in her living room on a table.
As she is now 101 years old and staying with us, she felt she wanted to help with our tree. She had a great time!!
On this particular dreary and dull day we were out and about on our travels and found ourselves stuck in a queue at some traffic lights in town.
Everyone was milling about and as it was getting near to Christmas presumably a lot of the hustle and bustle and some miserable faces was to do with all the extra shopping most people do at this time.
As we were sat in the car in this queue I looked out the window and saw a cheery face that seemed to brighten everything else, so I took a photograph of it!!
Original photograph taken by me - copyright 2011/2012
Ha ha, yes, a Christmas decoration in the street, but he did look all cheery and smiley and just brightened what I was seeing around me as we were stuck in a queue,
