This is it!

Kate has just joined the ranks of tree-meister in our household.  Those who know me will know that I have only ever bought one Christmas Tree (and that was the year JB was born 20 days before Christmas, so I had a good excuse), it meant buying a tree rather than offing out to have one cut from a holly, either in our hedge or, in the years before we lived here, from down Penberth , and all that entailed... visiting long-lost (well since last year) relatives and doing the old nostalgia trip and having to fit prickley holly in car with upwards of at least 3 children.

Zac joined the tree-meister ranks when he cut his first holly, I think 2 or 3 years ago when Col had a bad back.

Last year we had huge holly in my kitchen, which I loved since it is my domain and in the sitting room I don't get to enjoy it all day..but this year, as Kate always wishes for a tree earlier than cutting holly will allow (22nd Dec at earliest).. I said we'd have an early fir tree in the sitting room, so she can enjoy it with the X-Factor final and the numerous episodes of Friends she has taped in the run up the the big day.... and then I would have a smaller, less co-ordinated holly event in my kitchen to be cut / hung/ decorated and fully photographed by U Bill after he arrives in the run up,.. you see there IS method in my madness (I know the quality of his pictures will be so great and give me brill scrapping opportunites for months to come!)

Anyways, Kate is arranging the tree (I succombed not to a £60 cut tree which my dearest husband advised me would  be worthless firewood in 3 weeks, thus devaluing at £20 per week... but to a vastly more expensive but good looking imitation tree.. you know me, cost per wear / cost per airing of the tree...I should be quids in and break even by 6th January 2011.. and actually I am not as traumatised by the buying of a 'fake' tree as I thought I'd be)

I have, I hasten to add, still not made the cakes, and while I write the fruit awaits the Ainsley / BBC Veggie Christmas treatment to be transformed ... pictures of tree and cakes follow.. watch this space.

Shhh.....but when Col seemed to disappear while we were at the Garden Centre I half expected to find him curled up and quivering in the garden tools section, (a little like Damien in Omen films when made to visit a church) .........having been beaten by the energy sapping bug he feels when Christmas is mentioned (you know, the same one boys and men get when dragged into New Look or M&S... Kryptonite Zac calls it!).. ...he is by no means humbug about Christmas, just wishes it could be a long rest!