Away In A Manger Etc!

Another Christmas is all done and dusted, the turkey is reduced to sandwich filling and the wrapping paper on the carefully wrapped presents consigned to a bin bag awaiting recycling.

We had a very pleasant time and as usual I was thoroughly spoilt with carefully chosen gifts, accommodating my rather esoteric tastes! I am fond of interesting gismos and was well catered for in that department!

Our grandchildren had a whale of a time; the two older ones really appreciated the excitement of Santa Claus. I have a sneaking suspicion that young Quinn (nearly 4), has probably worked out that without the aid of Santa’s little helpers, i.e. his Mum and Dad, Santa might have some difficulty getting round all the children in one night!

Quinn’s concerned mother asked me to cast an expert eye over his emerging spots. "I think I have chicken nuggets", he announced! With the spectre of ‘Bird Flu’ on the horizon, one could be forgiven for thinking there was yet another nasty new disease in the offing. However, I was able to ‘reassure’ Quinn that he didn’t have ‘chicken nuggets’, but he did have chickenpox! Fortunately he has it very mildly and it has not interfered with his enjoyment of Christmas.

Our middle grandson, Elliot (2), is to have a baby brother in February. We had been told by his parents that they wanted the name to be a surprise so we were forbidden from asking Elliot the name of the baby. They had confided it to him so he could get used to pronouncing the name! Elliot was playing with his Nativity scene putting the figures in and out of the stable, when he came to the baby he said, this is Baby ******, one of the names I knew to have been on their list, so I assumed that was the name they had chosen. I then asked Elliot who was the baby in his Mummy’s tummy if Baby ****** was in the manger, and got the answer, "Baby Jesus", some slight confusion there one feels! Hopefully Elliot will have it straightened out by Christmas 2006!