Brenda Lee sang back in 1958 (of course I was far too young to be familiar with the original recording!) "Rocking around the Christmas Tree, let the Christmas spirit ring..."
"Christmas Spirit" ...Just what do those two words conjure up in your mind? Gaily wrapped parcels perhaps, or twinkling Christmas trees, cozy log fires, crisp, white snow on the ground?
In my world, "Christmas Spirit" engenders a complete panic! So many jobs need to be done to be ready for that one day in the year when my house swells from the relative peace and sanity of two of us to the complete chaos of the whole family, which of course, has doubled in size with the addition of husbands, partners and grandchildren! ABOVE, Gingerbread house by Loredana Tonetti