Surprises

Christmas at our house follows time-honoured family patterns, with the same decorations and food served year after year. The only unknown, though sometimes guessed at, surprises, are the contents of the carefully wrapped presents. 

We opened a hatbox of goodies from Betty's Cafe, a place where I was taken for afternoon tea by my mother when I was a child. Sometimes my father would come home with a cake box filled with a choice of their deliciously 'continental' little cakes. He always included a custard slice, laden with cream, which was his favourite. Betty's Cafe was started by a Swiss but now also makes a speciality of several Yorkshire recipes.

Very mindful of my current state of health, Wee one had bought me the book from an excellent channel four television series. It is impossible to turn on the t.v. without being assailed by someone or other doing things with food. Mostly the programmes are about indulgence.  Many of the famous names, Delia, Jamie and Nigella seem to be fighting a losing battle with their weight. By contrast with all the rich excesses of the other programmes, the food hospital is quite inspirational, as is the book.

I love nice soap and nowadays there is a marvelous choice. This year I've been given a bar of milk soap from Scotland that feels like a large, smooth pebble in the hand.

 
I've been hunting for a replacement everyday shoulder bag for some time, so this Tod's bag in a grey/mushroom soft leather was a lovely surprise from one of my daughters.

The Debrett's lady's 2012 diary, with it's flexible cover, will fit comfortably inside the new bag. Although there is plenty of useful information, many of the diary contents are rather ridiculous and  have nothing whatsoever to do with my life; listings for 'the season' are very horse and sport orientated, neither ever having been my thing, and the shopping directory is only to dream of. Plenty of advice is given for Debrett 'ladies', but as a retired old bat I can happily ignore it!

The Chantecaille 'sea turtle palette' eye shadows are beautifully presented and look almost too pretty to use, (The important word here is 'almost') and I've also been given some very useful anti-wrinkle products.

Moi?!!

Himself has got some traditional Christmas gifts for men, a box of socks and some jumpers. But look what else - oh, he's a happy, and noisy, man, with a three disc set of Queen  blasting through the house. 

 
And just to test whether his brain cells are being fried by all the noise, a pocket IQ test, which we haven't yet dared to open!

I hope that you also unwrapped some lovely surprises on Christmas Day.