Festive frivolity

Time races on and the party season is well and truly upon us. Tomorrow's my last day at work until well into the New Year, much to the ill-disguised irritation of many colleagues.

On Tuesday we had the Amaze Christmas Kids' party. Which is basically an excuse for any Amaze employee with suitably impressionable kids to finish work early and stuff cocktail sausages, chocolate krispy cakes and orange squash down their offspring. Complete with slightly batty party games, the girls in Accounts dressed as elves and, of course, a visit from Caretaker Chris ... errr, I mean Father Christmas.



A weekend in Lutterworth kicks off the Christmas period, complete with Granny and Great-Granny (a rather unfortunate event started today, when Tick started telling Livvy about Christmas and Grannies without making it very clear that this was not happening immediately. Stringent protests followed when it transpired that today's agenda contained nothing more exotic than being dropped off at nursery).

Livvy and Tick, meanwhile, have been perfecting the mince pies. An art Livvy is new to, but with some astute guidance from Mummy, the end result appeared to satisfy all concerned. Albeit after some pretty non-committal taste tests, including the standard "brief and careful lick" approach beloved of kittens and children everywhere.



The Christmas wine has been ordered, a tiny two-foot Christmas tree adorns the lounge (much to the inexhaustible delight of Livvy and even Henry), bags of Spekulatius biscuits fill the cupboards and the daft last-minute rush around the shops awaits. 'Tis truly the season to be jolly.