We finally finished the Christmas shopping today. We'd already bought all of the presents for Tim's nieces and nephews, but we still had a few adults to look after. Unfortunately, even when you know exactly what you want and where to get it from, shopping at this time of year is pretty nightmarish. We had to admit to ourselves, though, that our attempts to get it over with quickly probably made it even worse! Tim and I lost each other twice in all the rushing around!

Anyway, everything is now wrapped and ready to go. I'm still working on some handmade Christmas ornaments, but that's coming along alright. We've got a fair bit of cooking ahead of us tomorrow, but then all the hard work will be over and it will be time to enjoy the good company, food, drink and music.

The music is usually Christmas carols, depending on who gets control of the stereo (me! me!). I prefer my carols to be jaunty, fun and upbeat - and preferably sung by the Muppets. My favourite Christmas album is 'A Christmas Together' by John Denver and the Muppets. Happily, someone has uploaded the Muppet version of the 12 Days of Christmas to YouTube, so that I can share the joy with you! :)



After the third or fourth repeat of 'A Christmas Together', the rest of the family usually demands that we play something else ;)

That's when the crooners come out - Bing Crosby, Dean Martin and Nat King Cole. I do love those classic Christmas songs: Winter Wonderland, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Let It Snow, and White Christmas. I even love that little tear-jerker, The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot. *sobs*