Christmas Traditions - Merry-go-round

It's time for another ride on the merry-go-round! Jump on and join a group of artists/crafts-women as they link around the world and tell you a little about their lives in art and craft.

This month's question that myself and 8 other women will answer is seasonal and related to Christmas and holiday times - " How do you celebrate Christmas/holidays? What traditions do you have?

For me, Christmas traditions really begin on Christmas Eve. I sing at Grace cathedral and so drive down to the city with my hubby, and we find somewhere for a nice early dinner. Rehearsal starts at 6.30pm and then I sing the service at 7.30pm. It's always a lovely service, loads of people there, a thrill to sing in the cathedral. I love it.

Then John and I drive home and, if I'm lucky, I get to open one little stocking present before we go to bed. And that's the only present I ever open early...I keep all other presents until 25th! (Here's Harold - he as some decorations on his cage and his own stocking too!) Then I settle down and have a whiskey mac drink (scotch with Stone's green ginger wine) and John and I read "''Twas the night before Christmas". We have a few versions of this book, but the one we always read on Christmas Eve is the Robert Sabuda's pop-up version. We take turns in reading the different pages and pulling up the pop-ups! Oh, it's such a delight!

Then we retire to bed and let Santa and the reindeer do their thing. We used to leave food out for Santa and his pals before we moved to CA - but we try to encourage healthy eating as he gets lots of food all in one night - so we offer the option of any of our fruit, straight off the tree - and leave an open bottle of Birdland Merlot!

Christmas morning begins with champagne!....and continues with champagne :=D Our first glass is drunk as we sit outside in our bath tub! We have a French copper and zinc bath tub in the garden so we brave the elements and start our day with a soak in the big tub and a glass or two of champagne! Time to relax and chat and enjoy the birds overhead and the occasional drip of cold water down your back from the tree above!!

Our next part of the day is the phone calls. We call our family and friends in England. By this time, as there is an 8 hour difference, most of their day is already done - so we hear all about their Christmas time. In between phone calls, we sneak time for breakfast and a little more champagne...... The phone calls tend to go on most of the morning.......sometimes also interspersed with present opening so we can thank everyone for what they've got us!

Once that is done, we start thinking about preparing food etc...and while that is cooking, settle down in front of the fire and start opening our presents under the tree - here's this year's tree - a 9.5ft noble fir.

Then it's lunch around 2.30pm....and a leisurely afternoon with a stroll, maybe a game or nap....and then finally it seems we have our Christmas pudding early evening!

Always a lovely day but tinged with a little sadness for missing everyone in England......

"Merry Christmas to all".

Try linking to the others in the merry-go-round and see how they spend their Christmas.

http://sarastexturecrafts.blogspot.com
http://fancypicnic.blogspot.com
http://lilypangart.blogspot.com
http://florcitasart.blogspot.com
http://easterya.blogspot.com
http://halfanacreblog.blogspot.com
http://lebarduvent.blogspot.com
http://blog.glamasaurus.com