Marie’s December Article

“Are you ready for Christmas?”  This was a question by a newspaper magazine at the beginning of November.   I don’t think many people would say yes at that time.  My answer would be, “Are we ever ready for Christmas”?  Years ago you didn’t start even thinking about Christmas until December.  Children made lists and then sent them up the chimney to Father Christmas, knowing these were pipe dreams as they would only receive the usual  – a game or an annual and in their stocking would be an apple, orange, a couple of nuts and according to finances a three pence piece.

One year many years later, my better half won a shooting competition and won an enormous turkey.  Unfortunately we only had a Baby Belling cooker so the oven was too small and we couldn’t get the turkey in.  However, there was a very kind lady who lived across the road (she had 9 children) and she said she would cook it for us but not on Christmas Day, but Boxing Day.  It was so large it took us ages to eat it.

We would laugh when it was suggested there was ‘Global Warming’ but now we believe it as I picked the last Runner Beans in the middle of November and Dahlias at the end of November, and there are still Geraniums flowering in the tubs.  I think the birds must be puzzled as they see the leaves falling and no really cold days.

G.K. Chesterton once said “When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time.  Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs?”

Wishing you all a happy Christmas and a healthy, peaceful New Year. 

Marie Cove