I can watch Gone With The Wind on Christmas morning totally undisturbed. Ideally, my husband would bring me a tray of coffee and mince pies during at least two ad breaks in the four-hour run, but so far it’s never happened.
A Sister's Courage
I can keep my husband out of hospital and cat out of the vet’s on Christmas Day! Last Christmas he (husband, not cat) was in hospital but thankfully sitting up and taking interest in his presents and cards. My sister, Carole, and I sat with him most of the morning (so I missed GWTW. Grrrrr!). The staff had given him presents of shampoo and sweets and were making a real fuss of him. He said it felt more Christmassy in the hospital than at home! When Carole and I were back at the house, my cat hadn’t eaten his breakfast and seemed very lethargic. A dilemma. Should I take him to the emergency vet’s on the most expensive day of the year? But I’d never forgive myself if he was really ill, so off we went. We let a dog who’d eaten a whole box of chocolates – tin foil and all – go before us, and then it was Dougie’s turn. The vet put him through every test possible, then gave him a clean bill of health and me a murky bill of £400! At home, Dougie jumped out of his carrier, rushed to his bowl and gobbled up his breakfast.
I can start reading one of the new books my husband has given me – our tradition is that we only give each other two books, plus a joke present. What luxury to grab some time on Boxing Day (when hopefully the relatives have nodded off) to open the book I’ve managed to drop hints about in the Christmas run-up.
Carole and I have a Skype with her son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter who live in Savannah, Georgia. Two years ago they came over and spent it with us. It was the best Christmas I’d had in ages, centred around an excited little girl.
I can grumble that no one helps me decorate the tree, but secretly I’d rather do it on my own. Dougie takes great interest in the boxes of baubles and every year he manages to squash into one of the cardboard boxes, then settles down for the night without ever breaking a single decoration.
I can slip away for an hour or two to write the next chapter of my latest novel, though it risks the family grumbling that I’m always in my writing cabin, and why can’t I make an exception at Christmas?
Oh, and it goes without saying that Christmas isn’t complete without the Queen’s speech. Gone are the days when it was ‘live’, but she makes it sound fresh and up to date, and it’s always thoughtful and inspirational.
A Sister's Courage by Molly Green is out now