Christmas

Christmas. How we have always loved Christmas. For our family it means a time of gathering. We don't always get everyone in the same place at the same time anymore but those who cannot be with us are always in our hearts. Our first Christmas as a family was in Victoria in 1973. Dad, Jason and I made the most of it even though Dad was at university and we didn't have much. We loaded the VW up with the things we had and headed to Nanny's and Papa's in Cumberland. This would be a family tradition for many, many years. In those days Nanny and Papa waited for Dad and I to 'come home' to decorate the Christmas tree, even if it meant we didn't arrive until December 23rd. The tree was waiting there to greet us. In those days Papa went into the woods and cut a tree. It would be set up in a large metal tub and held in place with big rocks. Papa had already put the red nose on the deer head in the hallway and renamed it Rudolp...