my parents arrived the weekend before, so the final preparations started 
BB and I made a Mary Berry Buche de Noel together. Quite a challenging recipe! but it did work very well and we were proud of it. It got eaten Christmas eve . SB made bundles to little nanny’s specification with my mum. The hallway was decorated and nativity got ready :). On christmas eve everyone else arrived – BIL with my newphew M, niece E and his dad A. My inlaws also, so 12 for Xmas – an easy number to fit round the dining table and the festivities commenced.
Sadnesses – that Vivien not there to be with us, and i always miss little nanny x x x
difficulties – BB sleep! she was dreadful! just far too wound up, so 2am christmas eve[day] snuggled into submission and worried that father christmas hadn’t given her anything [aw bless] but she said she knew i would make it ok if that happend [more aww!]. and in fact bb sleep thereon! oh and migraine for me – ah bah!
joys – many christmas is a time for me that i enjoy the day we are in, love the children and their pleasure, see beyond to when they are no longer so young and enthusiastic, and even further perhaps when they bring children of their own, and also to the past, raised glasses with my grandparents and their siblings. christmas past, present and future all collide happily. the stresses of prechristmas fizzle away, and just left with the love and happiness.
we got the balance of presents right i think – def not too much, but no disappointments we opened in 2 stages, a post breakfast from the children and parent age and then we had nibbles and champagne and checking xmas dinner on course, then grandparents and their generation . it worked really well, we got to see [mostly] what the children had, and also make sure they were packed nicely into a box! SB highlights were kindle from us, and sewing machine from my parents [john lewis mini one in pruple and turquoise] and BB loved her mp3 player, mechano from us and garage from chris’s parents, lego from my parents. But all loved all their presents. I loved my board game from BIL, owl cushion from niece and nephew and the words on the candle holder frm sb nearly made me cry. i thought all my presents beautifully chosen. everyone seemed very happy
we did institue a screen ban for xmas day and boxing day with things to watch on iplayer saved! [i know, mean!] but that meant lots of laughter and fun from children playing together. M making his mecchano with BB beside, E with her sylvanians, sb playing games. we did play lots of games adults and children which mixes the family groupings making us one big family. BIL dad A certainly enjoyed being here, with all the noised and muddle and inclusiveness
All food was delish and worked, apart from the kids option of toffee pudding, which had perhaps been lanquishing on the back of a shelf! tables groaned!! leftover sprout and carrot pakoras went down a treat the following day! we did have indoor fireworks 
to less enthusiasm from the older males!
A lovely time with a lovely family
