Christmas prep

Just a few snaps for me to remember Christmas 2015- before it's Christmas 2016.  For the firs time in 12 years all my siblings were together, with all the grandchildren.  We had the usual cracker-making and gingerbread decorating and letters to Santa by candlelight, as well as some new decorations (including a Terada Christmas scene I bought in Tokyo in January and painstakingly assembled) and the roll of toilet paper contributed by Basil. Basil has become such a recidivist chewer of toilet paper that we have had to remove the toilet roll holder and put it out of reach. Annoying.

Gingerbread competition

All thirteen cousins assembled for our annual gingerbread party.  This year we made it a competition. judged by Kim.  Our decorators divided into two camps - those who painstakingly tried to decorate their gingerbreads with flair and originality and those who tried to put as many lollies and as much icing on as possible.  Mum also participated. As her alzheimer's progresses she seems to enjoy these kinds of activities.  She'll often happily colour things in, or cut things out.  It was a really lovely day and so nice that she could spend time with all her offspring.

My Birthday is coming up I am very iccsited

Way back in November Lily turned six.  She decided on an 'old fashioned' party. There was a fortune teller (Ruby) and a face painter (Nina) and games and the sort of party food I had as a kid (sufficiently old fashioned for Lil).