Merry Christmas all

To those near and far... Hmm... To those far and further, I wish a good Christmas season and a safe and joyous celebration with family and friends.

I am having a good Christmas tho I can't stand the holiday myself. I was asked to a colleagues home to celebrate with his wife and 2 year old son. First we went to his parents for a traditional Polish Christmas, quite nice. then across town to his wife's family when I donned the Santa suit and beard for the 5 children under 5 present and gave them all gifts and they sat on my knee and we took photos. it is such a great feeling to see the terrified and excited looks on their faces when you call their name and pull a huge barbie doll house out of a sack for them. The were so happy and loved all the gifts.

A modest helping of Christmas food, to be honest a selection of pickled fish isn't my idea of tasty fare. But when in Rome...

My Colleagues parents didn't speak English and my Polish is pathetic so we conversed in German. which worked out well considering I understand a bit of that! No drinking tonight until i cracked a well earned beer back at home and sat down to call my parents at home, sadly my telephone card was cut off and I didn't get to chat to my mum as long as my dad.

So now I sit on my sofa listening to the hum of trucks in the traffic outside and watch my episode of Bones and think about the people I most care about.

Someone I love dearly said she would be in the states for Christmas, so I hope she is enjoying her cultural experience.

Another is all alone in Dublin, I dunno why she went there from London, but she did, she will find a friendly crew and sink a lot of beer and have fun no doubt about it. Another lives in Canada and I am sure is having a stressful Christmas, but I hope she makes the best of it and has lots of fun and new pressies from her loved ones.

So here is my sign off to all you out there. as Bill and Ted said, "Be excellent to each other..."

Have an ooooobee chrishmaaas....