I'm sad as Christmas seems to go quicker and quicker each year. Gone are the days of shops shutting on Christmas Eve and nothing opening till 27th December. Family time seems to be fading away as we move away from our homes towns in search of work.
I come from a close knit family, with my dad being a seafarer, mum was left to raise me and my sister for long periods of time (9 - 13 months) alone. Her mum and dad lived a 40 minute drive away , her brother about 10 mins, but mum had a good circle of friends, who would step in and help at a moments notice.
My nana and grandpa took it in turns to stay with either us or my Uncle at Christmas time. We always had Christmas morning and dinner in our own homes then Christmas Day evening we went to my uncles, I loved this, yet I found out this year that my sister found it boring!
Boxing Day was our day, we always had a 'drinks and nibbles' party at lunch time, mum would invite all her good friends and neighbours and of course the family as well and this usually started at 12ish by about 3pm all the friends and neighbours would have gone but family stayed till the evening, again I loved this.
Now it gets harder and harder as we are scattered across England at 3 extreme points, East Sussex, Wiltshire and Cheshire. I never see my cousins who are in Spain and North Wales.
So although the time together is short, I realise that time marches on and it gets harder to get us all together, I cherish the time we manage to do it.
Seeing my Great Neice again always brings a smile to my face
Just look at those curls, she is the spitting image of her mother when she was our bridesmaid and just as cheeky too!
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