The goose is getting fat.

Realised that I do not have a single Christmas decoration – not that I really had a lot in Greece, I did make a bit of an effort and every year I added to the small collection of bits and bobs.

In the past my trees (no fir trees on small Greek island which is little more than rock) so one year I cut down branches of olive tree, another’s a large rosemary bush, pruned to the shape of a tree. Alternative smell came from the lemons and bitter oranges that were tied with ribbons and hung as bubals.

Visiting the local super store last night I am totally overwhelmed with amount of glittery lovely things available in the shops. Just the choice of angels for the top of the tree is huge. All a bit different from the cone of paper with a scrunched up ball for a head, and painted on face, hair made from curly ribbon and tin foil wings.

I find the whole materialism totally sickening. Making the decorations was in the past part of the fun. Christmas is more than flashing lights and tinsel. Laughed about the time I tried to make my own raisins by drying the grapes in the sun – all got was rats on the terrace, and I had to borrow a cat to get rid of them.

Surprise, surprise, I got to the checkout with nothing other than a mixing bowl for making the pudding and mind full of mixed feelings and some arty idea about making my own.