So there was Christmas, which was relaxing and great fun, because I genuinely do enjoy spending Christmas with my family. Not least because of the comforting predictability of it. There was one major deviation from tradition this year, however: for the first time my sister and I didn't have Christmas stockings. Now, okay, for the last 6 years or so I've felt faintly silly that despite being 20something I'm still hanging a stocking up for Father Christmas (even though we no longer make more than a token ironic pretence at believing in the bearded Coca-Cola-advertising icon); but my sister and I have always got up early (or at least earlier than my parents) to open the presents in our stockings, and it's something that has always made me smile, and has always made me feel a little bit of magic despite all my cynicism. Ah well. This too will pass. My main regret, though, really, was that I didn't know until I got home that my parents weren't planning to do stockings -- if I'd known, I'd've at least done one for my sister. (And I probably will next year. It's so much fun buying those sort of little bits and pieces for people!)
I'm not going to list all my Christmas presents here, because while I like lists of things (particularly when, in some small way, they provide snapshots of people) it seems somehow a bit mercenary to say "I got all this STUFF!" when what I really want to say is "lots of people whom I love gave me things that made me happy, but none of those things are as important as the relationships". So, there, I've said that instead. (Also, if I try to produce an exhaustive list, I worry that I'll miss something and offend somebody.)
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After Christmas,
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From Leicestershire it was back to Cambridge to drop off luggage and say an all-too-brief hello to
Eventually the horde of LJers decided to leave, and after trying in vain to persuade them to stay (even contemplating kidnapping
Then last night there was New Year again, or rather it was enthusiastically re-toasted (with, variously, deferred champagne, water, and sticky toffee pudding tea) by myself,
I'm glad to have seen the New Year in surrounded by a) music, which is something on which I want to spend more time and effort, and b) new friends (at least, I hope I may call them that). I just hope I haven't neglected my existing friends too much in favour of the new.