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Hello, Elle!
I am getting very excited about Santa Claus coming, too!
I think our schools finish on Friday (half-day).
Carrots are fine for reindeer, I'd say?
I have my walking shoes to wear to the cemetery and old papers for the floor of the car to be mud free.
I think I have thought of everything, bottle of water, scissors, secateurs, a firm brush for my shoes, etc.
I am glad you liked your dinner.
I confess to never having eaten chicken tikka masala, that I know of!

Hello Ros, Elle and Rusty,

Hope everyone is feeling fine.

I am ashamed to say that neither reindeer nor Father C got anything
left out for them in our house when I was a child - it just was not
so much the custom in France.
On the other hand, the Christmas tree decoration was very much
a three-some affair: I controlled the bottom third, my mother
dealt with the middle portion and my father decorated the last
top part - Except for the bit Star right at the top which I used to
put on the tree, perched on my father's shoulders (like on a horse)

Obviously, when we were kids, the presents were not put under
the tree until I had gone to bed, but later, they would be under
the tree from the morning of Christmas Eve, and everyone who
arrived for the evening joined their presents to ours, and the big
ceremony of crawling on all four under the tree to find your own
presents started at Midnight, (I mean adults and teenagers!) after having wished a happy Xmas to everyone present with a glass of champaign.

Now, I just have a small false white tree which I have today put
on the bar, and that will do me just fine!

Good evening, Pigale!
I have only a small tree too, and it sits on the window ledge.
Does me fine!
When I was a little lad, New Year was our holiday, but nowadays it is Christmas, which I prefer, and New Year is very much second to Christmas.
Our weather is meant to be milder tomorrow, though I see frost outside now!

Hello Rusty!

France and Scotland have always been alike as far as New Year is
concerned; Christmas was more for family/Children, but New Year
was very important too, and New Years Day has been a holiday
for as long as I remember! New Years Eve is very much a party
time, with a lot of dancing (even at home with the family) going
on.

When I first came to England and discovered I had to work on New
Years day, I took a day off my holiday!

Hello, Pigale!
Your story sounds familiar!
We did not get a day off work at Christmas.
It was not a public holiday in Scotland.
New Year was our celebration.
I liked the old New Year, but it has changed very much over the years.
Singing and dancing in the old days, it was grand!

Hi, Rusty!
You sound well equipped to deal with any eventuality re the cemetery!
On my last visit, it was pouring with rain, so I simply left my plant and dashed for cover...
But on Thursday, like you, I shall go armed to clean up the marble slab.
I have yet to buy the wreath and we also need a plant (in a ceramic pot for weight) to wedge in the centre of the wreath (laid flat on the marble slab).......otherwise the wreath might get blown away.
( I am assuming you now have a mind's eye picture...?!)
Tomorrow morning I am expecting the BG engineer!
Let us hope he comes this time!
Mind you, the office did check that we had heating, before they rescheduled the appointment.
But I do need the thermostatic valves on the radiators fixed before the family comes to stay over the festive period.
I'm told the visit will between 9am and 1pm....so no morning walk tomorrow!
The dog and I shall play ball in the garden instead!



Hello, Ros!
It was always carrots and mince pies at our house!
I love the idea of the footprints....I shall pass that on....
'm not sure though if the household livestock might not eat the sugar.......



Hi, Pigale!
I think planning for the reindeer's supper is a big part of the fun for children here!
I know that Christmas cards and such are not a big part of things in France, though, are they?
All our French friends send us New Year cards instead!
When I was small, our Scottish family always celebrated Hogmanay rather than Christmas!
But this seems to be a thing of the past now........

P. S. Rusty!
I think the passing of Andy Stewart ( "A Scottish Soldier" and "Donald, Where's your Troosers?" ) and Jimmy Logan led to the demise of the Scottish New Year as we knew it?

Elle, you are quite right about the cards, although we do send
more Christmas cards nowadays (money, money, money!!!) it has
become more commercial - but still we do not send anywhere the
amount that is being sent by the average family in england.

New years cards are still popular, although, as with a lot of
things, the Computer has changed things somewhat - you can
even send Christmas/New Year and Birthday or Annivesary (or
get well etc) cards on the net!
Where is the pleasure to hand-write something special for each
person gone?

Yes, Pigale!
I do agree with you about email cards!
I have received a few this year... and it is definitely not the same as a card coming by post, and one's opening the envelope and reading a personal message!

Hello, Elle!
I think the advent of television played a part in ending the traditional New Year.
I think the best New Years were before folk had TV's.
Folk saw what Christmas was about on TV, and preferred that, and so did the shops!
I used to really like the White Heather Club dancers, and especially Andy Stewart!
I bought my wreath today and will get fresh flowers at ASDA and head out.
Fingers crossed your engineer arrives in the time frame and has the correct parts, if needed.