I woke after an extremely stormy night, to a day of gale force winds and intermittent squally showers. Although it wasn't really cold the wind felt icy. Several trees had blown down in various parts of the country, and Scotland was the worst hit, with thousands of homes without electricity. We did not have it quite so bad.
Once New Year's Day is passed, I begin to pack away the Christmas lights and decorations, leaving the Christmas Nativity figures till the 6th January, or Twelfth Night, as it is traditionally called.
The artificial tree is packed in its box, ready to go under the eaves in the bedroom in the loft.
Every year since I was about 4 years old, and old enough to remember Christmas, the first ornament I put on the the tree is the one in the picture below.
It is a small Santa and his sleigh rattle that my grandmother evidently bought when I was a baby.
From then onwards, my mum gave it to me to hang alongside the other shiny baubles on their small artificial tree. So it is 64 years old this time. It still has it's rattle.
It reminds me of mum.
She loved to decorate the tree and if we tried to be involved, my sister and I, in later years, she tolerated the places we put the decorations and then would move them to suit her own idea of the best arrangement!
So, my Santa and his sleigh are packed away today, as I write.
A New Year stretches out in front....................its ongoing pages still to be written. Take a deep breath and step forward.............
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