‘Twas the night before Christmas…

Not a creature was stirring – not even a mouse. ‘Cause he was pissed like everyone else!

Sorry. Couldn’t resist that. But it does sum up how I feel about Christmas, simply because we finished work at 12:30, and decamped straight to the pub! I couldn’t drink as I was driving, but thankfully, I wasn’t the only one.

OK – you’d got the stupid ones who were determined to drink as much as they could, before they headed for home but they were few and far between.

It was a really good time, with a whole load of friends & workmates, and it was a case of a few of us realising that we’d still got to get food / present for some obscure relative who was going to be coming to the family home on Christmas day.

Thankfully I wasn't one of them, but I did have a visit to make - to my Godsprog! I told the truth - I'd promised I'd see the little munchkin before Father Christmas (or as Amber calls him - Santa) arrived, and there was no dammed way I was going to break that promise.

I wasn't the only one who was leaving at that time - my line manager was also leaving to keep family commitments, and there was much speculation that the pair of us were sloping off together.

He held his car keys up, and said that he’d got his car, and I did the same, as the last thing either us wanted was for our names to be linked at Christmas! I know it would have been done in good fun, but you always get the odd one or two who wouldn’t be able to let it rest.

Admittedly, I did get a kiss – on the cheek! But no more than that, aside from good wishes to the respective families, and “see you on Wednesday”, as the pair of us are working.

The drive to Leek Wooten was less traumatic than I’d thought it was going to be, and Amber was bouncing ‘round like Tigger® on acid! She was being a real menace at times, and her mother was at her wits’ end…

I soon sorted the problem – I threatened to light the open fire in the living room, and give Father Christmas a hot backside. The poor little mite was running ‘round crying “no hot Santa, no hot Santa!” That made everyone laugh, and her mother murmured that she wished she’d thought of that!

Still, I left the presents for Amber and her little sister (no – not the cymbal set – thankfully, Granddad Peter has taken care of that – he’s taken the drum and cymbal set off the two of us (Amber’s aunt and myself!), so he’ll be the one to get earache, not us!)

I found out that Amber is really into the play kitchen set that her Mum & Dad bought for her birthday, and there were several additional sets that would compliment the original set up. I bought one of the sets, and made sure that Amber was too engrossed to see me hand it over to her Dad.

Elian, (Amber's baby sister) I bought one of the Fisher Price® play sets that goes over the floor mat, and has dangling things that she can hit / spin / chew / annoy the cat with.

I made my excuses and left a couple of hours later - ok they weren't really excuses - I'd still got to wrap Mum's present up, and put the ribbons on the foot spa box.

That and the fact that I knew damned well I’d have Fred trying to play with the ribbon and the sellotape, before he finally ends up with it entangled in his fur!

Ah well, nearly time to call it quits – I can hear Mum’s car pulling up on the drive…


Karen. Do spiders scream when they see a big fat hairy human in the bath?

PS - MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!!!!