Make your own Christmas!

A TREE

Since we retired and downsized seven years ago there has never been a Christmas tree in our house, except the beautiful white ceramic candle holder we bought years ago and place on the windowsill at the front of the house so that it's visible from the street. However, we do have fairy lights, baubles, garden wire, and plenty of imagination. The result was pleasing, and another addition to the list of things I've never done before:

PRESENTS

Comestibles are appreciated in our downsized household - things you enjoy on the day, then they're gone - no storage space or dusting required. Like the chocolate under the tree in the photo.

This year's offerings also include

Harrogate Theatre - an audience with Monty Don - Gardener's World host (ticket = present from John, my other half of 46 years) experiences are easier to wrap than things! Anyway, I have enough things. This provided a lovely evening out with our eldest daughter, food for thought,

lots of lovely pictures to enjoy and inspiration for future garden plans,

a Christmas gift for the summertime

Ripley Castle gardens

It's tough to find garden-related experiences in the middle of winter, somehow we managed it, thanks to our daughter. We sat on the top deck of the bus, like elderly teenagers, wishing the rain would go away. Still, we walked beside the lake and through the towering trees. Then sat in the greenhouse surrounded by tropical plants, eating avocado salad sandwiches for lunch. I scratched a writerly apostrophe on to the sign for the children's play area. Later we took refuge in the tea room with hot drinks before catching the bus home, laughing, happy.

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