All over for another year.

The decorations are packed away for another year, the kids are back at school, my husband is back at work. Christmas is definitely over.

I have to confess that although the lead up to Christmas will probably go down as one of the best ever, my festive cheer did desert me on the day itself.

My husband is a lovely man but he was not on good form. He carelessly put his foot in it on two occasions, spoiling surprises I had worked hard to achieve and instead of congratulating me on a Christmas dinner well executed, he just moaned that he had eaten too much and felt sick.  I took the majority of the responsibility for present buying this year so all he really had to worry about was something for me. I don't expect lavish gifts but I do like to see that thought has gone into choosing a present, otherwise what's the point?

He bought me:

•  pyjamas in size 12/14 when I have worked hard all year to achieve and maintain my size 10 figure
• box of fudge - which would have been lovely except for the fact that he bought me the crumbly variety. I hate crumbly fudge - I am most definitely a creamy fudge sort of girl.
• a bottle of suntan lotion with a 10 euro note taped to it. This would have been a fantastic present for my daughter Charis because we have planned to take her to Spain at Easter to show our support for her initiative to learn Spanish in her own time when her timetabled lesson at school turned out to be a disaster.  There was no promise of a European getaway aimed at me. This was my Spain survival kit. I already have suntan lotion. Ten euros, quite frankly, isn't going to go very far.  I just didn't really get what that present was trying to say.

I hate being ungrateful but I was seriously underwhelmed. He has apologised for his lack of inspiration.

In the scheme of things, when I think about everything that my husband does for me and our family, the fact that he wrung the magic out of my magical Christmas is fairly insignificant. I can think of several reasons why he was not on good form. He has been worried about his mother who is recovering from a hip replacement operation. Not being able to see the two children from his first marriage and share the season's joy with them must weigh heavily. Like many of us, he has been a little run down and overworked. My head says that they are all valid excuses but it doesn't chase the melancholy from my heart.

I have much to look forward to this year and looking back at the high points of Christmas day does make me smile but I do feel that carrying the weight of disappointment into the new year has taken some of the colour out of my world. I need to find a way to get it back.

Xmas High Points - the Llama Ocarina - yes, you do have to blow up its bum!

Xmas High Points - How much my little boy loved his work bench.