No. 4 - The Festive I-SPY game

I spy ornaments I've got knitted trees, stars and felt birds.

I spy OTT spending on the kids and Overindulgence by the adults.

My childhood memories of Christmas are of an Orange in a sock at the end of the bed and the only time of the year when you were allowed to Overeat - often turkey and stuffing butties may be watching Oliver Twist on the telly.

I SPY Opening presents, One by One, taking your time until there was Only One left and not knowing whether to save it for later OR Open it then...............

(Those were the ones I'd found hidden at the bottom of the my parent's wardrobe, or under their bed. After a couple of years of opening every present weeks before Christmas, they got wise and gave them to my grandparents to store until the big day.)

I SPY Opening presents, One by One,  taking your time until there was Only One left and not knowing whether to save it for later OR Open it then...............

(Those were the ones I'd found hidden at the bottom of the my parent's wardrobe, or under their bed. After a couple of years of opening every present weeks before Christmas, they got wise and gave them to my grandparents to store until the big day.)

I used to annoy my nan & grandad because I use to feel the present before I opened it and tell them what it was   . I was right 9 times out of ten . I never did the hunting for presents be Christmas. I didn’t want to soil the surprise on the big day.

I still do that feeling/shaking/sniffing of presents thing - except I can't remember the last time I had a wrapped present!!
One year my brother and I found these chocolate slot machines in the wardrobe. You put a penny in the slot and a tiny bar of Dairy Milk fell into the drawer at the bottom. We also found out how to get our penny back to reuse.
We ate all the chocolate bars and my Mum didn't find out until she went to wrap them on Christmas Eve.
She never let us forget that.

I spy the Oranges studded with cloves going into the mulled wine, Oreo biscuits being prepared for an Oreo milkshake and an Oreo cheesecake. The Opulent foodstuffs for the dinner, the Christmas tree Ornaments are glittering. There is a bottle of Ouzo in the drinks cabinet hoping someone will partake this Christmas.

I spy pine cones silver painted ones on the mantelpiece.

I spy tangles of Pretty lights (I do like pretty lights). They're left for P to sort out which timer, which plug, which extension lead, which adaptor plug, which room. I'm sure I had a plan of what we did last year, now to remember which box it's in.

I spy presents - just two - one from my boss (its usually a bottle of champers and £500 but its actually a present this year...and £500) so that's exciting, and the other from son and DiL which by the feel is maltesers - I rummage wrapped presents too but have resisted investigating the boss's parcel

As a family we don't normally do presents. Son and DiL are getting an extension and new kitchen in the spring courtesy of the bank of mum and dad so their present is minimal this year, a big cardboard box hamper full of strange bits and pieces from supermarkets/shops.

I spy preparation for putting up the tree and the meal .
Presents waiting to be handed out.