Christmas - five families, lots of champagne and lots of tears and laughter

Christmas - five families, lots of champagne and lots of tears and laughter

Christmas Eve has arrived and what a busy time we have planned visits to five families to say goodbye and then start our journey home.

I am dreadful at packing and am getting more stressed by the minute so decide to be a real cow and leave John to do it. This may seem mean and John certainly thought so (think he also thought a lot of other things but luckily he didn’t say them out load). I’m not sure what it is about packing up to leave but I really can’t do it and I’m feeling the same as we did the day we left France, it’s as though the world is about to come crashing down on me and I can’t breathe properly (I’m wondering if this is what a mini anxiety attack feels like).  I leave the house we’re staying at to go shopping and John has the fun of loading the rest of the stuff in the car. This is actually a very good idea as the entire packing is completed with no arguments.

First stop is Kayleigh and Chris, as we are going to spend Christmas Eve staying here.  We arrive and immediately I head for the baby, she still makes my heart melt every time I see her, she is so perfect and looks just like a little doll, I am trying to overdose on her before we leave.

We order a take away Chinese and John and I go to collect it, we also pop to the local Tesco and buy a trifle, as you just can’t have Christmas without trifle, I’m sure there is a law somewhere that covers this.

So the evening is spent cuddling the baby, unwrapping presents, eating Chinese takeaway followed by trifle and all washed down with Veuve Clicquot. We decide to venture out to midnight mass, I’ve never been before. Kayleigh and I have a lovely time and Poppy sleeps all the way through.  She looks like a little angel.

It is difficult to go to bed tonight as I realise when we wake up we will be leaving, but eventually tiredness wins the day and I can stay awake no more.

Christmas day arrives and it is so amazing to wake up at my daughters and granddaughters home we spend the morning unwrapping more presents and then have the most fabulous breakfast, I have a toasted bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon that literally melts in the mouth, everyone else has the traditional fry up except Poppy who has yet more milk. Then the time comes to say goodbye, we’re all being very brave until we leave the door, I can hold the tears back no longer, and just stand hugging my daughter until Chris takes over and I head for the car, we promise to Skype everyday to make sure that Poppy doesn’t forget her Meme.

Next stop is John’s parents, where we spend a really nice hour with yet more presents and yet more tears from Johns mum as we leave.

Then on to Rachael’s, where it is yet more presents, John is so exhausted he and Lilly have to have a snooze.

They wake in time for the most amazing Christmas dinner, Rachael and Trina (Rachael’s mum) excelled in the kitchen. 

We spend a fabulous 3 hours here and its such fun to watch Lilly opening all her presents, she adores the little boots we bought her and though she is only 2 years old she already has a shoe fetish, watch out Imelda Marcos!

Rachael and Leigh are almost as excited with their presents especially the pale green dress, you just know that Leigh will be borrowing that at some point.

The time has come to leave and now it is Johns turn to feel the heartbreak, the time spent with John’s family was fantastic.

Next it’s time to visit my parents, unfortunately my gran had been taken into hospital so our time is spent on a hospital ward, it was still very special and I have a lovely photograph of me, my mum and my gran.

We now head to Katie’s as this is on the way home; when we arrive we feel the emotions from the day begin to ebb away and we sit and enjoy a glass of wine before retiring for the day, we are both absolutely exhausted.

Top tips

Do not leave on Christmas day; it is heartbreaking and emotionally exhausting