wow is it that time already?

Getting close to Christmas *shudder* and so the Christmas cake is made, wrapped up and ready for its weekly 'feed' of brandy!

Now when I say *shudder* to Christmas, don't misunderstand me, I love Christmas. The magic and excitement, the happiness and the fun. But I can not stand the way the pressure is put on, the commercialism and the greed. I used to buy into it - my children had more toys than they could possibly need, we had so much food we would eat ourselves silly and then throw lots away, and we would take the next year to pay off the credit card.

Now we have a far more subdued affair, in fact Christmas dinner last year, at the children's request was Macaroni cheese! and it will be the same this year, although we will have turkey and the trimmings on boxing day when my parents visit.

And I am at peace with this lovely quiet way of doing it - so why is it I feel guilty when I don't buy every Tom, Dick, Harry and theirs great Aunts a present!?!?