Singing Santa

Happy Boxing Day, one and all!

What would Christmas be without... Singing Santa?

Had a lovely time in the Hysterical City of Carlisle. I used to spend Christmas there often as a kid, but not since 2006 when, sadly, my nana passed away. Felt six years was probably a safe amount of time to try again! 

Managed to catch up with my cousins, Darren & Craig. Big northern lads - 'ard as nails, tough as boots. They all say words like 'boook', 'coook' and 'fil-em'. Hadn't seen Daz's daughter Katie (my first cousin once removed...?) since she was very little. Now she's 14, wearing makeup and talking about getting her ears pierced! Managed to catch a sneaky snap of her with her Great Uncle (my dad!). Don't think I ever met any of my great uncles or aunts, so it's rather an historic moment. 

Also managed a lovely one of her and Daz. 

Me + cousins Darren & Sean last year.

Mum's side of the family are hard to keep up with because there are so many of them. Dad's side, because I see them so rarely. The boys belong to my dad's sister, Jean. We also managed a jaunt up to Dumfries to see family. I'd always thought that their boys, Scott and Ross, were my cousins. Turns out they're my second cousins once removed... who invented this system?

Complicated, huh?

Still, a wonderful, festive, over-fed and flatulent (that'll be the mince pies) holiday. 

Incredible Christmas dinner courtesy of Lynne & Craig (and Ben!).

Not even going to mention Downton Abbey.

(Or, for that matter, Call the Midwife. What is it about Christmas and tragedy? 'Your dead child is right here, you're practically standing on top of her...' - seriously? Ho, ho, bloody ho!)

Anyway, Santa was rather lovely this year. I now have tickets to Bill Bailey in the summer, and a smartphone that's a lot smarter than I am! 

(May take me a while to figure out how to use it...)

It's also been a good year (yes, Frank, a very good year) for hats...

Top left: me scruffy winter hat. Top right, from Mum, bottom left, from Marilyn, bottom right: a loop scarf from Craig & Lynne that also doubles as a Mother Mary-style headscarf. I think this may just be my new most favouratist thing in the whole world! 

That isn't over-exposure guys - that's a halo.

Fact.

Much head love people! Roll on 2013.