Ghosts of Christmas' Past...

Now readers, the festivities change as we get older. Some of us cling to traditions we once took part in 10 - 15 years ago, others forge new ones. In this household, where it is me, Mam and Dad in the morning, followed by my Grandma joining us for lunch later on the morning, we have had to adapt.

The parents have woken me up in recent years, either hungover from the exploits the night before, or just over tired from work.

So Christmas has become more about the build up in this house, the wrapping presents together (except eachothers, obviously), the Sunday School Nativity Presentation (of which I've 'starred' in the past two years), and end of term activities with our Brownie packs (2 Brown Owls (leaders) in one house, poor Dad).

But I can't help but think back to the Christmas break when I was away at Leeds Uni. I was away for one year, and hated it - Christmas was my first real time back at home after my challenging course had ended.

It wasn't all roses. A boy complicated matters. A boy I had known and equally not known, for a year or two. A boy that when this photo was taken:

And I wanted more than anything for something to occur.

Enough to say it fizzled out, quoting my being away at uni as a reason for this: I hated being there, the boy clearly didn't like me being there, and more than anything, I felt separated from the life I had made for myself during my undergrad at Sunderland. Christmas though. Christmas, I was home. I was welcomed. I was part of the Kollective again.

Now, I'm back living at home, so am part of the Kollective on a daily basis, and still Christmas holds a charm. Because while my Mam and I are running around preparing for the festive season, mean we lose touch with eachother... So the irony is that while preparing for the festive season, we then need the festive season to reconnect... Or reassimilate, to extend the Kollective analogy.

So Christmas is about showing people who matter to you, just how much they matter. And if that is by over buying, then over buying it is them...

Much love my lovelies - and hope this special season was good to you,

K x