Decorations and Preparations

My parents are currently on the landing outside my room, taking great care over exactly where to hang a paper Christmas tree. They are trying to decide which bar (preventing me from falling off the landing) to hang it from, and which angle, and the height. From the way they are talking about it, it sounds like serious business.

Almost as serious as the colour co-ordination of the Christmas tree, which I have never been a part of decorating as my Dad has to have a perfectly even spread of red and gold, which only he, as an architect, is capable of arranging. The mistletoe is hung in an obscure and rather dull corner of the dining room that no-one would ever consider kissing under, and my parents have printed off their e-mail contact list to write the Christmas cards in alphabetical order.

Not only do we have regimented decorations and a card production line, but every single meal has been planned until the day after boxing day. Today my Mum wrapped every single present and got, from the sound of it, incredibly furious with the sellotape, and my parents have been arguing over when exactly they're going to find a spare five minutes to put up my brother's Christmas lights before Friday.

Luckily, everything is going according to plan, as I came home from School one day in October to find my Mum making Christmas cake, Christmas pudding, and mince pies. October.

None of this is an exaggeration. We have a scarily efficient Christmas.