So sang Mud in 1974, it was the Christmas Number One. Or will it? I remember Mud, their most famous song is probably Tiger Feet, but it appears that I enjoyed 'Oh Boy' more as my father used to remind that I would say 'Oh Boy Mud Dad' all as one, no other words, just those to him when it came on the wireless. I was two years old in Christmas of 1974 and I'd guess we had just returned from our two year stint in Cyprus, but if I am honest I can't really remember, I was two after all. As a child Christmas was magical, watching dad getting that dusty large cardboard box from the loft whilst I held the ladder, I was doing a good job, opening it to see all of the decorations, the rolls of crepe paper streamers, the brightly coloured hanging pieces, the wreaths and garlands and, of course, tree decorations and strings of brightly coloured lights that were guaranteed to not work even though they did when they were put away the previous year. The lights of old were on a single wire circuit, so if one bulb went, none of them worked and you never knew which bulb was gone, so you had to go through the whole string one bulb at a time until you got lucky. Like I said magical. Our lounge ceiling would have a centre hanging piece and then the crepe paper streamers radiating to the corners and edges, these would be pinned into the textured coated ceiling (probably containing chrysotile, a form of white asbestos) and then twisted to form a pretty pattern and pinned in the middle and other corner. The ceiling would be covered almost completely in streamers and paperchains hand made, by me, from strips of coloured paper at school and home. Snow spray! The discovery of this was almost as miraculous as the supposed event we pretend to celebrate each 25th December. Our applications of this, probably very toxic, product were very basic, triangular 'snow drift' build ups in the corners of the window frames and then stencils of snowflakes and snowmen in random spots. Now there are artists out there creating amazing pieces with the stuff, all scrapers and spray techniques. I was a spoilt little shit, I was an only child and mum wanted me to have it all, and I did. The present opening was an extensive period of time and then there was the fitting of batteries to RC Cars and Astro Wars or building of the latest Technic Lego. I have none of it left, it has all gone. I did discover my old toy box when I was clearing my aunts house, but it was full of glasses and not old toys, it is now my towel box in my bathroom. I have very little from my childhood, I guess that's the case for most of us. I wonder what happened to that box of decorations as it wasn't in the loft when I cleared it out. I am not an overly sentimental bugger, I have my memories and that's something that cannot be taken, well maybe one day they may fade, but that is a depressing thought at any time, let alone this time of year. It is Christmas Eve, I knocked off from work at 1500hrs and am now in The Loopy Shrew, https://www.loopyshrew.com/ pretty much a 'local' for me if for no other reason than it is about seven doors up the street from my front door, it is also a rather nice bar to frequent, if you are ever in Shrewsbury I highly recommend it. I am on my second Malbec flavoured bravery juice. The apartment is clean, I have a fridge full of food, I am doing a roast tomorrow, and I have more wine than Laithwaites and I intend to take my fill. I am going to be alone tomorrow, I know dear reader that is a shame, but don't worry your pretty little heads about me, this is not my first rodeo. 2012 was my first Christmas alone, I had left my wife and was back with the 'constant' https://www.my11yearplan.com/post/here-we-go-again however we were still seeing each other in secret, fuck knows why, but there it is, I made my bed and I was lying in it. 2013 was a repeat of 2012.
By 2014 I was more ingrained in the family and joined them for the day, it wasn't great, but I am not going into that but it did change the following year.
2015 I had Sam with me and when he eventually dragged himself out of bed he proceeded to drink my ten year old French wine I had been saving, spilling it on my carpet too after coming back from the pub well pissed ha ha, little shit. Then the new lady in my life came over for the evening.
She and I spent the next three Christmas' together with her family and they were superb.
2019, I was alone again, well I had the poocharooroo, Bailey, with me, he had his own Christmas dinner and we had a lovely walk, the newly ex-girlfriend sent me pictures of the presents she was opening at her parents in Oxfordshire. Go figure.
2020 I was in Kent with my old school friend and her mum, it was really lovely.
2021 alone, 2022 USA with Sam, 2023 I had an ex-Army mate with me.
I have not put any decorations up, I don't actually own any, and I don't see the point, I do have some smart bulbs that have a Christmas setting, so I'll put that feature to use tomorrow, perfect.
I will get dressed in something smart, maybe even a shirt and go for a walk in the morning, it is a stunning area to walk around, this town.
Then I will stick the bird in the oven, prep the veg, pour the first of many vinos, put some music on, eat, debate on washing up or leaving it until the morning, try and call Sam, watch The King (still feels weird writing that) and then probably fall asleep during Gavin and Stacey.
Sounds pretty ok, huh?
Will I be lonely, no, of course not, it is after all just another day and I spend a lot of my days alone, why would this one be any different?
Have I missed the stress of present shopping, wrapping, food buying, decorating and all that goes with being in a relationship or family situation at Christmas?
Yes, if I am honest, I can kid myself that I haven't but I did/do still enjoy that, I just don't have a need at the moment, that doesn't mean I will be lonely, I will be alone and there is a huge difference between those words.
I hope you all have a superb day and festive break, eat too much, drink too much, love hard, laugh, pop the button on your jeans to ease the pressure and be happy, because I fully intend to.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Who knows what 2025 will bring...
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