The Best Christmas

Good evening everyone,

One exhausted blogger here.

Well this morning, I managed to drag myself through the shower and into clothes, faffing and worrying about what would be best to wear for a day at someone else's house, but soon I was all smart and ready, and as usual I had been getting in a panic about time, anyway, I went to put some coffee and toast on for breakfast, and when I opened my door, I found a package outside my door, and it had my name on, it looked like a box of chocolates, and on further inspection, it was.
So I added it to my pile of Christmas goodies.

I started my walk to church, thinking I was running late when actually I was making good time, and then someone on their way to duties at church stopped and gave me a lift the rest of the way to church.
We got there early and found the Priest happily hoovering the carpet, so we laughed about that.
We said prayers, and I just felt all happy and peaceful, then everyone started to arrive, and I put the mince pies out ready for us to have with coffee after the service.
Then the gang arrived, and those who I would't spend the day with, because they gave the second invitation and I had to accept the first, gave me a bag of presents. I sat with them during the service, and we had a lovely service, and then a lovely coffee and chat afterwards, then it was time for the rest of the day.

It was a very busy house, and there was no room in the kitchen, so those of us surplus to requirements sat in the lounge and talked.
The kitchen sounded very busy.
Eventually we all sat down to lunch, at two tables as there were about 20 of us in all.

We didn't have turkey, funnily enough, we had gammon, and it was a delicious meal, I was sitting between someone I am used to, and a friendly young lad who was easy to talk to, so it was fine although we were a bit cramped.

We had great fun pulling crackers and joking about the jokes, and playing charades of course! I cannot do a charade and often I do not get them, but today I guessed a number of them! :)

After pudding and coffee, we all sat round and it was present opening time! This was indeed my first real Christmas for years. Everyone got presents, including me, and I had my bag of presents from the gang to open as well! :) wow! I had a real Christmas!

I got: A lamp, a tin of chocolate biscuits, a jacket, a bodywarmer, a microwavable hot water bottle, and some hot socks. I think those were very appropriate and helpful presents, and it was nice to see what the others got as well. Real Christmas after so many years.
I also got a lovely little glass nativity scene with glowing changing colours, that is a present and also a Christmas decoration for up here. And I was also given a proper orthapedic pillow by the gang, so my neck will be supported at night.

By about 5pm I was tired and sleepy so I was given a lift home.
The place is lit up with my tree lights, fairy lights, candle and beautiful nativity lit up in led changing colour lights.

This has indeed been my best Christmas for many years, one of my best Christmases ever and my first real Christmas for a long time. I told everyone so.

I hope to just relax over the holidays, watch some films and do some walking if the weather allows, before facing the grim realities of life in the New Year, where I may lose benefits, return to the streets, suffer further at the hands of the church or whatever, I pray it is not so, but, reality is that life doesn't magically come right with one magical Christmas, and in my life, good things usually happen before terrible things, and I am very vulnerable in being here, sorry to be gloomy.