Deck The Hall

 Ailz says, "If you put your Christmas decorations up before mid December it's a sign that you're common".

I say, "Who says that?"

She says, "Some writer on etiquette."

I say," I'd like to be a writer on etiquette. It must be a great gig. You just make it up as you go along."

She says, "Apparently the Queen already has her decorations up."

I say, "So has Melania Trump."

We plan to put our decorations up today- so we must be as common as the Queen and Melania. By the way, did you see Melania's blood red Christmas trees? Different, eh? I think they're made of beads. I'd like one.

Oh, and one thought leading to another, I see George Bush has died. No, not that one, the other one. I don't suppose there'll be a huge international fuss. He was never one to set hearts racing.  Some say he was Gangster Number One, others say he was a steady hand on the tiller. Historians can fight that one out; it'll be easier for them now he's no longer in a position to ring his lawyers.

So, Christmas decorations. The big tree is under the bed, the little tree is in a cupboard. New this year are the banana leaf nativity figures I bought in Lewes. It looks set to be a rainy day (unlike yesterday which was glorious) so it'll be nice to have something fun to do indoors. 

Fa-La-La-La

 I got the tree out of its box and started folding down its branches and a 5p coin fell out.

"Thank you, John." said Ailz- because we attribute all such oddities to my father.

He's been absent in body for about 15 years but likes to let us know he's still taking an interest.

Last year we went minimalist with the tree decoration- just lights and a few wooden dingle-dangles. This year- because we're feeling expansive- we loaded it with every bauble we have.