There’s no Christmas like a home Christmas

So sung Perry Como, and I think he's pretty spot on with those lyrics.

We’ve been hard at work since blogging Back to TQ12 in October, getting one thing after another sorted and slowly turning our house into our home.  The sparkies came in and made safe the electrics, fitted a new fuse box and took out that delightful burnt-out wire in the airing cupboard (hmmm, burnt wire, dry linen, I can spot a potential problem…)  The plumbers have been in, ripped out the bathroom and replaced it with a brand new suite, installed a proper shower, tiled and laid a new floor, whilst also putting in a brand new boiler and removing the old water tank from the loft.  The aerial chaps have put a new TV aerial up for us and laid a new cable to replace the one that was leaking water into the lounge.  The garage door folks dropped by and fitted a nice new up-and-over.  We've taken delivery of a tumble drier, a fridge-freezer, a dishwasher, a sofa bed, an armchair, a dining table, bookshelves, cabinets and a fish tank, whilst all the while painting, painting, painting!

There’s still a lot to do, of course, but our efforts have aligned perfectly with the Christmas break, and we’re both looking forward to celebrating in our new home.  The usual decorations have made their seasonal re-appearance, spearheaded by my colourful cast of nutcrackers (sorry Lizzie!)  I started collecting these a few years ago when I picked one up in York, and since then I’ve acquired soldiers, counts, toy-makers, jesters, pirates, and one particularly interesting guard who looks like he's come straight out of a fantastical arctic kingdom. 

In the dining room, meanwhile, Christmas has arrived in Legoland, with a winter wonderland street scene of carollers, ice skaters and market-goers.  It’s a Cockington-meets-Cologne sort of place, capturing the bustle of Christmas Eve and the good-natured community spirit of old, where the townspeople would enjoy a carousel, and gather to watch as the star was placed lovingly upon the town square tree.

Talking of trees, the main event is standing proud in the lounge.  We’ve bought our first ever tree, a six-footer, and hung up many of our old favourites – some pre-dating both of us, others from childhood, and a few that we’ve bought at Christmas markets since.  I love tree decorations as they really tell a story and have a strong power to evoke memories.  The ceramic star from Salzburg, a nativity scene from Grandma, the home-made choirboys from Mum – visions of Christmas past, when as kids we used to love hanging charms on every branch, and remember (almost fondly) the year the tree toppled over and flung soil onto carpet, sofa, curtains and all.

So, Christmas has arrived at Number 3, and it’s shaping up to be a very merry one indeed.  I’m really looking forward to a few days off after a manic period at work, to indulge a little in some good food and drink, catch up on some festive films, and start working my way through a mountain of books.  And in the company of good people, what more could you possibly want?