Christmas Eve 2011

Christmas Eve was spent with Andy's family in his hometown of Braintree Essex and we had a lovely lunch at a local restaurant where we exchanged gifts and embarassing stories. The most embarassed party of all was Frankie when we made him try on his new raincoat!

Andy's present to each of them was especially touching. We made family albums from all of the old photgraphs capturing his Mum and Dad's early years through to last Christmas. As there was only one copy of each photo, Kodaks albums from scanning and uploadings are priceless.

We attended an evening carol service at St. Marys where we are to be married in May and Anita and David joined us. The church looked beautiful and each child was given an orange holding  a candle for a brief candlelight carol.

Andy was shocked that I knew the words to most of the carols but I had been an avid carol singer as a child until I was asked about which charity the money was going to.....I ask you, how else is a teenager to afford Chrsitmas presents!

What a lovely Christmas Eve.....family and church......sweet and simple but somehow it makes the holiday whole!