Anyone finding it hard to get into the festive spirit? This sometimes happens to me, and I remain in denial about the imminent approach of the old chap with the big tum and red jimjams right up until the last minute – and sometimes way after his sleigh has taken off again.
This year, for some reason, I feel full-on Christmassy, even though the girls are going to be with Mr X and I shall probably be sobbing my lonely heart out over a solitary mince pie (and I don’t even like them! But I have 450 left after forgetting to serve them at the party).
Something that’s helping me feel festive every morning is a lovely slot on Capital Radio
Though I am bored to tears with them yammering on about their blimmin’ Jingle Bell Ball (the girls were desperate to go and I called 83 times to get tickets, to no avail – sold out in less than an hour. Not that I’m bitter or anything) I do absolutely love the moment, shortly after 8am every morning, when they get a child to open that day’s window on their advent calendar live on air.
Yesterday’s was particularly charming. The little girl was 4, with a lovely fluting voice, and she got a cracker-shaped choc. ‘And what picture is it on the window?’ said Johnny Vaughn. Silence, then a strange mumble in reply.
Then it dawned on us listeners. The little girl couldn’t speak properly because she was eating her chocolate! Awwww, bless. Adorable moment.
It also makes me think of my lovely friend at Family Affairs, who didn’t get her Cadbury’s advent calendars in time and has had to somehow hand-fill an old one, I think, to appease her children! Greater love hath no mummy.