Christmas Day has always been about family.

As children we would all wake up early, wake up Mum and Dad, be sent back to bed, wait for Dad to get up to go and do the milking, open presents, eat a turkey lunch etc etc. Ie Eating, presents and family.

As adults we would wake up late. Drivie to parents, (Mum only recently), steak pie lunch, open presents, play games (Turkey is now eaten on Boxing Day) ie eating, presents and family.

For me Christmas has always been in England, (last year only just,) with all my travelling I have always been at home for Christmas. (While I was working I was often ill but I was there!!) It has always been cold or at least cool. Often wet and miserable occasionally snowy but not often.

This year it is 31 in the shade, bright blue sky and oh so different. Kathryn and I got up early and went to see the Royal Palace with Shiela. Absolutely beautiful, drinks at the FCC, Thai lunch, walked around a museum, back to our hotel to open our presents.

Late afternoon we joined other VSO volunteers and staff on a river trip. Listened to Zoe playing Christmas Carols on her violin and joined in when Ian played them on his guitar. There was a Christmas cake and we all ate too much of it. So really much the same as usual ie eating, presents and family (just not so many as normal!!) So maybe not so different!!