So just how cancelled will my Christmas be this year?

No it's not my 2020 Xmas wishlist

Every Saturday I publish a list, the last list before Christmas last year, was the ten things that make Christmas special for me.  How things have changed. I mean if you'd said to me I'd be in Tier three this Xmas, I'd have thought you meant I'd have got tickets for the third tier of the Etihad for City's boxing day game. But here we are.

I thought I'd go through the list and see how much of it we'll be doing. It is rather sobering to see (last years comments are in italics).

1. Having the family around.

Well this year, if we are lucky, we'll have my sister in law. We won't have our usual Xmas eve family celebration after midnight mass. It will be a strangely muted Xmas this year

2. Listening to Punk rock on Xmas morning. ✅
As I noted last year 'This is a tradition all of my own. It is the one time of the year that I will play the Vibrators, Heartbreakers, Ramones, MC5, Buzzcocks and no one moans! Luckily the neighbours are deaf.'   and I am greatly pleased to say that if the family want dinner, they will have to put up with this


3. Christmas Eve Mass.

Sadly this isn't going to happen. I believe there are services and I may try and go, but without the carols etc, it just won't be the same.

4. The smell of Turkey and ham roasting in the oven.✅

Well so long as Mr Gerard on Daws Lane comes up with the goods, and he's not let me down yet, we are good to go for this.

5. Setting fire to the Christmas pudding. ✅

So long as there is a pudding, brandy and matches, this will happen!

6. Walking to the Adam and Eve on boxing day for a pint.

Sadly this is one that won't be happening

7. Pigs in Blankets. ✅

Yep, this will be happening.

8. Dr Who ✅

To be honest, I've not checked the schedule, but I sincerely hope that they will not ruin this tradition

9. The Pogues/Pogue Traders Xmas gig

Nope, the traditional start of Christmas is just not happening

10. And finally...…. I like the fact that the days have started getting longer, even if you hardly notice it! I always used to make a point of walking to the Ridgeway to watch the sun rise over the Totteridge valley on Xmas day with our old dog Bruce. Now all of the best views are blocked, but if you get onto the footpath across the Valley it is well worth it. Watching the sun set over the Mill Field can also be amazing. Logistically it is hard to get there on Christmas day for sunset, but if we time it right we might get there on the way back from the Adam and Eve.

I might take a few tins with the dogs and watch the sun set if the weather allows it, but covid can't stop the days getting longer. ✅

So it's six out of ten things I love. That means the glass is over half full which, all things considered, is a good thing!