Hi there.
Well, here it is.
Christmas.

Today is the Big Day at our house.
We celebrate this evening.

The family will arrive late afternoon.
We will eat a traditional German meal: 
Bratwurst, Sauerkraut with mashed potatoes and onion gravy. 
It’s modest, working man’s fayre. 
None of your lobster thermidor under this roof! 
Delicious though.

Then the kids will clean the kitchen, the grandparents will retire to the living room with a glass of port or wine, and the ones in the middle will make sure the fires and candles are lit.
My job is to prepare the Bunte Teller. It is another tradition passed down from my German Mutti. Each child receives a Bunte Teller – a colourful plate – filled with sweets, gingerbread, fruit, nuts and a chocolate Santa Claus on top.

And then we will all gather in the living room, and one of the kids will hand out gifts from under the tree, one at a time. 

Hahaha! Read that again. It sounds like Mark and Grace will be underneath the tree! English is such an ambiguous language, isn’t it?

Right. Had enough of the romantic picture I have painted?
It may well go according to plan, but it may not. 
Either way, we’ll all hopefully be in the building safe and sound, the Aga will work and the mash won’t be lumpy!

Mark went out to meet his mates last night, and I saw him tiptoing up the garden path at 9 this morning, so yeah! He’s having a blast.
And when he surfaces, he is so so so peeling the potatoes!
For tonight AND Christmas Day.

Ho Ho Ho.
Families.

Anyway, I hope you have a good Christmas Eve, whatever you may be doing. Be safe, be warm and be loved.

Here’s our little Christmas Video from last year. We liked it so much, we decided to play it again Sam!

Art by darling Jayne Nestorenko
Samples by our Clarity Team
Music by Dave

I’m on the telly tomorrow with Paul,
showcasing these stamps. 
12 noon. Maybe set it to record and watch later, 
when there’s nothing better on the box!

Love & Hugs,
Barb
xxx