The children woke at seven and have been disembowelling presents ever since, to quote my favourite dark man of literature, Mr Rochester.
The dog is beginning to look a little taut: he has sat through the whole present-opening shenanigans and feels the need of a walk. The cat has given up ambushing the dog and is stationed in his favourite post, half way up the stairs.
Santa has brought many good things. His fingers are sore from wrapping.
Later, we will all repair to Big Al’s for Christmas dinner, all the trimmings. Though Al will be having jelly, just for the record. The Christmas pudding is made by Phil, the Belgian chocolate cheesecakes by Aldi.
I wanted to say thank you. Thank you for calling in, sitting down at the Shrewsday table and joining in the chat of the day. What I write very much reflects what we talk about here in this real house on the edge of Windsor Forest, over mugs of tea.
I am grateful to each person who comes to read, and everyone who leaves a contribution to the glittering comment stream daily. I am often told people read as much for the comments as for the post. You make our year: have a wonderful festive season.
Lots of love,
Kate, Phil, Maddie, Felix, Al and the Princesses, Macaulay the Dog….
…and our latest addition, Clive Bond.
Kate Shrewsday 
May all of you have a lovely, lovely Christmas and New Year. Must write about my encounter with Christmas cake yesterday. 🙂
Oooh, I look forward to that, Banno!
Merry Christmas one and all xox
Thanks Tandy. Hope you have had a wonderful day.
Happy Christmas to all of you at Shrewsday Mansion♥
And to you, Rosemary, and your talented family. Those home made crackers sound amazing…
Merry Christmas from Miami, Florida, USA
And to you and yours, Carl 🙂
Merriest of Days Kate to you and your family!
Thanks, Tammy 🙂 God Bless. Hope you have all had a wonderful day.
Wonderful snowy pics today of the family, I do enjoy not only your thoughtful and entertaining posts, but, the comments are a highlight as well.
A very Merry Christmas and a wonderful Holiday Season to all from lovely (read not snowy) Charleston, SC.
Thanks, Lou. Hope you have all had a wonderful day. Thanks again for your wonderful daily comments.
Has to be a badger in a Shrewsday nativity scene!
Merry Christmas to all of you, and here’s to a blog-filled 2013!
(and maybe that book…..?)
I thought the badger would appeal, Jan! Merry Christmas to all of you. Hope you have had a lovely day!
Thank you Kate for a a truly lovely blog.
Micheline, thank you: and for yours, which has taught me so much 🙂 Merry Christmas.
Salute
Right back at you, Hudson 🙂 Thanks for a year of great schtuffs.
Happy Christmas great pictures of snow
Thanks, Elspeth, hope you had a wonderful day!
Merry Christmas for all of you! Peace for soul and joy in life!
Thank you, Dana 🙂 Hope you have had a wonderful day.
Merry Christmas to you and your family !!
Hi Mathias! And to you!
Merry Christmas to all from Denver USA.
Thanks PT 🙂 and thank you for a year of keeping us all up to date with the new we don’t hear over here….have a great holiday.
Nadolig llawen!
Likewise, Chris 😀
Merry Christmas from snowless Central Texas. The pictures of the dog in the snow are so sweet.
I have manymanymanymany more where that came from, Gale 😀 Marry Christmas to you!
Merry, merry from just outside of the other Boston 😉
Merry marry, Cameron 🙂 Hope Felix is enjoying the holiday!
Merry Christmas from Austin, Texas! Snowless but plenty of wind.
Merry Christmas , Kathy, to you all!
Merry Christmas, Kate.
And to you, Friend. I trust you are having a wonderful time.
Merry Christma Kate, Phil, Maddie, Felix, Al and the Princesses, Macaulay the Dog
Clive Bond from Aussie land (where it’s way to hot – that snow looks mighty inviting) 🙂 xo
Would that it were now, Gabrielle: these are pictures of snows past. Right now we are being deluged by rain. Again. I am building an ark.
Merry Christmas Kate.. hope you and the family had a good one 🙂
Thank you, Jas! We had an excellent Christmas, and it continues apace.
Nice one Kate,
“Disembowelling presents” is a beauty. Thanks to you for a great set of posts in 2012 and for being one my earliest followers 🙂
Happy holidays & hope to see more of you in the New Year!
Best wishes,
Amaya
Hi Amaya, and how lovely of you to leave this Christmas greeting. The disembowelling is all Bronté’s: it’s one of Mr Rochester’s, in Jane Eyre. Lovely thought, isn’t it? Merry Christmas to you, and a wonderful new year…
I hope you’re all having a wonderful Christmastime, Kate. 🙂
You, too, Heather! We are having a blast, thanks 😀
Thank you. I’m glad to hear it. 🙂
Love the image in the first paragraph . . . that of disemboweling the presents. Hope you had a lovely day from frist to last.
Would love to claim credit, Nancy, but it’s one of Bronté’s…Mr Rochester watches Adéle opening presents and instructs her to go into a corner and disembowel them. Those pithy northern writers, they had it all.
Merry Christmas, Kate. I’m reading this, doing some catch-up, on Boxing Day for you, and need to hurry on to the conclusion of The Conjurer’s Spectre, which is a divine read!
Merry Christmas, Penny, to you and that wonderful family of yours on the Cutoff.
Thanks for making a place for me at the tea table, Kate, ’cause partaking of a little Shrewsday chitchat is one of the joys of my blogging life :).
A little late, but Christmas greetings to all at Shrewsday Mansions!
And to you, friend 🙂
🙂
Merry Christmas (belatedly) to you and yours, Kate. I’ve enjoyed your stories and photos – especially the one above where they’re heading into the woods.
A most blessed and peaceful holiday season to you and yours, Kate.
Happy Christmas, Kate! (We have moved away from early mornings these days, with teenagers….it was wonderful to get a lie in, until the chaps dragged themselves out of bed at 9:30! )
Heaven 🙂
🙂
And thank you, Kate, for your wonderful tales and photos from the other side of the pond.
Stumbled across this when looking at ghosts of Hampton Court. Interesting, love your snowy pics. I live in Colorado, in the High Rockies, very cold and snowy tonight. Greetings and Best Wishes for the New Year!
Thank you, Elizabeth: and thank you for reading!