A very peaceful Christmas

Christmas Eve has arrived.  The fire is on and I am sitting here listening to Carols from Kings College Cambridge.  Darling Daughter is home (hurrah!) and is singing along to We Three Kings.  POH is having a little rest at the other end of the sofa.  Daisy Dog is asleep in her basket and Mango Cat is sleeping on one bed or another.  This is probably my favourite part of Christmas.  The dark, sacred evening is here, and all is still and quiet in our village.  Peace, perfect peace.

We've had a lovely day today.  As is our tradition, we went for lunch to the wonderful Inn at Whitewell, deep in the heart of the Ribble Valley, and had lunch sat by the fire. It was wonderful.  We played one of the games provided and had a really lovely couple of hours.  

Then it was time for church.  I like the tea time service as I am not good at staying up late. We sang carols and watched the children in the congregation dress the crib.  

This is also a very poignant time of year for us, as my late husband died on Christmas Day a few years ago.  Christmas was, on that day, changed for ever, and we celebrate in a much more reflective and low key way, but still embracing the true meaning of Christmas.  My late husband is buried at the church I attend, so I take some flowers and look at the book of remembrance.  Tomorrow we light a candle in his memory and know that he will always be with us.  POH takes part in all of this with us, (he too is widowed).  Both of the anniversaries are shared experiences and I am very grateful for that.

As I  said earlier, DD arrived home earlier in the week and it is such a joy to have her home with us.  We went to Ilkley on Friday and had lunch at my favourite tea rooms in Yorkshire - Betty's.   As well as exquisite food and wonderful tea, which they blend themselves, I just love their window displays...

I had a lovely surprise when I got home as DD has somehow, secretly, bought me a little box of fondant fancies, as I had said how pretty they were.  

Being a nice person ;) I shared them. They were as gorgeous as they looked!

It's time to go and make our Christmas Eve buffet tea/supper.  I've just realised how wrapped up (no pun intended) in Christmas traditions we are, but we like it like that, and I wouldn't want it any other way :)

Whatever you are doing this Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I hope you have a wonderful time.  From our house to yours, a very, very happy and peaceful Christmas.

Donna x