That Christmas Feeling

Christmas Is Close

   For the first time I feel Christmas is here, the house is decorated and festive music is playing while we sort pressies out, that little kid was here for the first time in two years, wishing he was helping his mum with the preparations, those Christmas logs with holly and other seasonal foliage ready to display on the dining table and pressies being wrapped for family and friends, helping her and feeling the excitement build.
   What I would give to have her here now, cooking her sausage rolls, mince pies and making those wonderful sweets we all enjoyed so much, just being in the same room made everyone happy, she was so alive and very much missed but by no means forgotten, my Christmas angel who I'm sure is watching down on us all.
   Yesterday went really well, I took my aunt to a large country store which was full of Christmas goodies, food and drink that would look stunning on any Christmas table, it was so nice window shopping and she treated herself to some chocolate ginger, something else I remember from days gone by, it was rather like going back in time seeing those old festive favourites such as sugar mice and Turkish delight, I saw those wonderful crystal lemon and orange slices that the grown ups would eat Christmas evening while us kids were playing with our new toys.  But of all the things I saw there was only one I wished was coming home with me, it was a box of those chocolate liqueurs, I remember how it was a real treat being given one and I would suck it until the chocolate melted and you could taste that sugar coated centre full of liqueur burst in your mouth, it's funny how those small things stick with you, odd flavours and smells.
   Tomorrow we will visit our close friends in Norwich, I always look forward to that trip, it's not just great seeing them but it means Christmas is here and we will soon have a new year to look forward to, a year that I hope brings everyone so much luck and a year that will lead us down many paths in so many directions, new directions that we will explore and I hope enjoy.