14th December - Decorating Day

 1: A beautiful glass star, which was a gift from Lydia many years ago!

2: Mum putting the finishing touches to her stunningly elegant gold and silver tree.

3: The large tree - a dazzling array of colours and memories. This is why you have a Bay window, people!

4: Mum's tree lighting up the living room with its traditional beauty.

5: The Tree for Homeless Baubles. This is actually two parts of a massive branch from the garden. We've put it on the landings and attached lots of baubles which don't fit anywhere else!

6: Some crackers which we bought a couple of years ago in a sale. Decided that tonight's Chinese Takeaway was the right time to pull them!

7: Clemency checking that the lights work.

8: Dog-wrangling. Always an important part of Decorating Day!

9: Putting the star on the top of the tree.

10: This is the face of a dog who would like it to be known that this may be his twelfth Christmas, but he's still a puppy at heart!

11: And he's quite happy to get involved!

12: The first mince pies, and these were especially amazing because Mum had spiced up the mincemeat with cherries and crystallised ginger.

13: It wouldn't be Decorating Day if we didn't get a photo of Charles sitting in the tree!

14: My new hat! Last year I couldn't afford a nice Santa hat, but there have to be some perks to working Mon-Fri now!