And Lo, it came to pass.....

So Laurie has reached the age when he has clocked the meaning of Christmas. To a three year old this is clearly all about some fat dude bringing you gifts, despite my best attempts at explaining that it was all about this little baby who liked being nice.....I may have got a bit stuck when trying to explain the concept of a whole religion to a little boy to whom the most influential beings so far have been a polar bear called Captain Barnicles and a slightly ineffectual postman .

His current viewpoint however is helpful on one hand, as he can be threatened for the next 4 weeks with being especially good (particually when in ear shot of the chimney, which is a direct line to the big man himself). On the other hand we have  4 weeks of continious 'Is it Christmas yet? Will is be Christmas tomorrow?'' Is Father Christmas making my presents now? and so on and so on. Parents of years previous I salute you for not breaking under the pressure and bursting the Santa bubble early, if only for a bit of peace.

In their wisdom PreSchool has got the kids to produce a Christmas list by cutting items out of toy catalougues.  Laurie has chosen a kitchen, a remote control car and some Fireman Sam stuff. Fortunalty my son is easy to read and the car and kitchen are already in progress. I just hope he is not materialistic enough yet to notice the car was 99p from oxfam and the kitchen is a homemade adapted cabinet. Well budget is small.

I shall resign myself to the weeks of Christmas build up from now on being sctattered with Christmas lists, letters to santa and perculiar renditions of festive musical classics. He can currently only remember the 'Atchoooo,Atchooo,Atchooo' bit of 'When Santa got stuck up the chimney', which promises unpredictable things for the upcoming PreSchool concert.

We tried a really nice red cabbage recipie a work collegue suggested the other day. Definalty a possibility for the festive period- maybe if we both practice a bit Laurie and I will both be ready in time. Providing I've not turned into Scrooge by then.