Gloria the spider

I am hopeless at wrapping presents, and this process lengthened by Calliope pouncing explosively into the middle of everything from time to time. Anton told me about a wrapping service that you could choose either to have things wrapped perfectly, or - for blokes - wrapped badly to make it seem that you have done it yourself. It's worth considering.

Off to St Nicholas parish church for a carol service for young children with Anton and Anna, and my Godbairns. Met Lorraine near the church having just dropped her parents Pat and Maureen at the Church. Klaudia sat on my knee for most of the service, covertly drawing and playing with Lorraine next to me. Father Robert told the nativity story from the perspective of a large spider called Gloria, who lived in a crack in the stable and was startled to hear Gloria in Excelsis!

Later Father Robert produced a big fluffy spider which he invited one of the children to add to the church's traditional nativity scene. Anna asked me to take Klaudia to get a candle from the back of the church and take it down the aisle to the Father. On our return, and because I happened to be sitting by the aisle, I had a good view of the long stream of little children walking past holding their candles, their faces softly lit. Something about that, and hearing old Carols, was quite moving.

In the evening went to another party in Lorraine's road with her pals Angie and Pat in their now traditional Christmas Eve party. We grabbed a cab and went to Anton and Anna's house armed with two bottles of Blanquette bubbles. Excellently Brian was there too, and we had a wonderful supper of pork shoulder, and loads of lovely food, rounded off with a chocolate fountain. A very cheerful evening.

Back late to Lorraine's place, laden with presents from Anton and Anna, after a rather welcome walk home. Feeling very Christmassy indeed.

Comments