TCB nearly decked out ready for the festivities to begin

Last week we were lucky enough to have a spare mid week, so we took the opportunity to titivate certain areas and to bring all the Christmas decorations out.  Every year we have a real tree grown by our neighbours that is placed in the Hall.  We favour a tree that has excellent growth on three quarters of it - as we need to squidge it back against the newel post so it doesn't take over the entire hall.  It's such fun, going into the hidden storage cubbyhole to pull out all the decorations that were placed there in January.  Some of the tree decorations have been regular favourites for years; others are making their appearance for the first time.

Decorating the tree is rather an organic affair, obviously the lights are put up first but then it just evolves.  This year with the slightly blue/silver foliage of the tree it has ended up attracting all our silver and gold ornaments - it looks gorgeous.  Perched right on top is our new fairy dressed in a splendid sparkly gold number, we hope she'll be with us for many more Christmases to come, perhaps we should give her a name.