New Year, New Habit

Well, it's an old one, actually - trying to get into the routine of writing every week. It worked well before, until I had food poisoning and lost interest in everything except sleep, and it's time I did it again. I'll try to be here every Monday, even if I drivel on about nothing. ("How will we tell the difference?" you cry. Good point, Faithful Reader...)

We had a wonderful Christmas. Some Quakers don't celebrate Christmas, and some do so in quite a low-key way. I would say mine was pretty low-key, but we still have a tree, and decorations, and presents, and I always listen to the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King's College, Cambridge.

This year it was on TV, so I got to use the subtitles for the words of the songs which were unfamiliar. No matter how wonderful the choir (and this choir was pretty wonderful), it's always easier to hear the words if you can see them in front of you!

They included one of my absolute favourites, "Three Kings from Persian Lands Afar", which I used to sing in the school choir, and T S Eliot's "Coming of the Magi". I love that poem, and it is always a part of my Christmas.

None of my family and friends wanted big presents this year. We all have so much, and we all decided to give just token gifts. Even so, I ended up with a considerable number of presents, all of which were things I wanted!

My knitterish presents were the latest Interweave Knits; some button blanks (you decorate them to match the project you're working on); some ceramic buttons with black and lavender designs on them; and three lots of yarn - two denim blue, one burgundy (both soft, squooshy, high-quality acrylic DK), and some navy Debbie Bliss Cotton Angora. Other than that I got some audio books, some real books, a DVD of Sir John Betjeman, a beautiful silver bookmark with a jointed teddy charm on it from my brother, some owl notecards, a gorgeous blank notebook, some smellies, some sweeties, a fabulous Archers Diary from my sister, and a beautiful dévoré wrap from Mum.

Oh, yes - and some knickers :)

(Actually, they were quite exciting too, because they were two sizes smaller than usual, and made me appreciate how much weight I've lost!)

We had a simple Christmas meal (lamb, mint jelly, mashed potatoes and cauliflower/broccoli cheese), at a time that suited us, and didn't have to answer to anyone else for how we spent the day. It was relaxing, celebratory and absolutely brilliant :)

I hope your Christmas was all you wanted it to be, and that you are excited by the prospect of a whole new year of knitting challenges. I'll be back next Monday - and I may even have some knitting content :)