I love Christmas. At least I do now. Before I had a family of my own- during that middle bit of my life after I had moved away from home and hadn't settled down yet I found I had lost my Christmas cheer. I had this feeling of lost soul - my family home wasn't the same as we'd all moved away and most of my friends and cousins had started a family already. I think I was the last of my generation of cousins to start a family. I used to tell people I wasn't sure if I wanted a family and I was very happy as things were. All of these things were true but during Christmas it was all a bit sad and lonely.
Then I moved to England and started a family of my own and wow has it ever been amazing. I love my little pod and each year around Christmas time we gather memories and build traditions. I've found my Christmas cheer again.
Each year I add to my little collection of Christmas decorations. I moved to England in May and was already expecting Squidge when Christmas rolled around so it was a very exciting first Christmas. Now Wal being a bloke and one who had recently moved back from the US didn't have ANY decorations. That first Christmas we made a trip to Ikea to buy all our decorations. Our tree was cute but it lacked personality. Slowly I've replaced the cheap plastic bits and added things from our travels, baubles I love and things that have meaning to us.
This year we'll be adding a lobster ornament we picked up on Cape Cod and what you see above. I LOVE owls so I couldn't resist all the cute owl ornaments John Lewis has on offer. Squidge chose the robin (ours is in red) and the Rudolf head has to be my favourite Christmas decoration EVER.
Lindy is a transplanted New Englander living in Manchester. She misses scorching hot summers and having a Dunkin' Donuts at every corner.
Blogs at: Squidgyboo
Twitter: @lindy_