Sometimes it's a hand delivered one, written by someone who has decided that they won't let it get the better of them this year and they are going to get all theirs out first being able to, from that moment on, sit and smile smugly as the cards fall through their door, knowing that they have that all covered from November. Of course, there's always one, isn't there, that you've forgotten about and even worse, it turns up on Christmas eve, when you are stuck with the dilemma of having to fire an 'emergency' card off that afternoon, knowing that when they get it, just before New year, they will know you forgot.
I know this is going to come as a disappointment to a lot of you out in blogland, but lets face it, I only have one more wedding to attend this year, so when better to come clean and confess my evil side? My phenomenal loss of readership will have to be carefully balanced with the relief that will come from letting you all see my true self, as I write these words.... I don't like Christmas!
Ok, small disclaimer here....I love the whole Jesus thing, but I really feel that He's a part of things 24/7, 365 days a year ( +1 on a leap year!) and as much as I feel He enjoys a good party, surely stating to celebrate 2 months before the actual day is a bit mad?
The day after Halloween, out they come with their tinsel and baubles trying to sell us unique Christmas pillows and tableware, poor old Santa gets dragged out earlier and earlier. He definitely must have better things to do on the run up to Christmas, with all his little elves, organising his schedule for the 'real' Christmas.
Now don't get me wrong, I don't really mind Christmas cards, as long as there is no expectation that I will send one back. I've taken to giving little bars of handmade soap to my local friends instead and this year I've excelled myself by making blackberry whiskey...now who wouldn't want a wee bottle of that and hey...no recycling or bluetac on the walls!
If I were prime minister I would make it against the law to have any Christmas displays or events before the 1st December and then we could all go mad for 3 weeks, collapse, take 2 weeks to recover and get on with life....I'm sure that's how it used to be!
I'm sure that Christmas wasn't on Claire and John's mind when they planned to have their wedding on November 20th this year, in fact I know it wasn't, as John explained so eloquently yesterday.It is the 'real' date they got together, seven years ago, despite having met years before on a chance encounter in Elgin and having staying in touch off and on via various social media.
The forecast was pretty good for them yesterday but as far as the weather was concerned it certainly was not! After a change of dress to suit the weather, I opted for my Jacques Vert grey number, that matched my throw over, so I could wrap up and protect myself form any cold blasts.
We left Macduff at 10.30am in the torrential rain and arrived at Ardoe House ahead of the clouds an hour and three quarters later. The Foyer had been 'Christmassed' with a giant tree decorated with grey and pink amazingness but I was more impressed with the wonderful chilli display beside it...gorgeous.
John was there to greet us, looking incredibly happy and relaxed with guests rushing in with cases and gifts all about him. The function suite on the other hand was a haven of peace and I was able to stand and watch the leaves spinning down from the sycamore trees out of the amazing windows that stretched floor to ground around two sides of the room.
John stood facing the guests, with his best man and groomsman, as the page boy, Tyler came in with a sign that said, 'Don't worry ladies, I'm still single', very cute.The bridesmaids wore full length pale turquoise ruched chiffon dresses to match the colours of the day. Soon Claire walked in, to a beautiful piece out of Braveheart, with her Dad, Iain. She looked absolutally gorgeous in a strapless cream gown with the sheerest of corded lace skimming over the top, right down to her fishtail train. Her veil, with the same touch of lace, was perfectly placed beside a floral diamante hair piece in her hair.
As she reached John the tears started to flow with the emotion of the day and he took her hands in his.They stood looking in to each other's eyes as the ceremony began, saying their vows to each other through the laughter and tears. They had decided on a handfasting after their I do's and when Robin said, 'You may kiss your bride', John handed him the handfasting scarf and took Claire's face in his hands, kissing her over and over again with a real joy.....sniff!
They had decided to have a lineup as the guests came through for a celebratory glass of prosecco , so we took a glass from the waiters and shook hands with both sets of parents and the new Mr and Mrs Duguid. This all went well till we got to John's Mum and Dad at the end of the line and Robin, for some bizarre reason, decided to step back, knocking my glass of bubbly and spilling half of it down my hand, dress, leg, and shoe....thanks dear! So there I was with a wine soaked hand looking like I'd wet myself , not knowing how to greet John's Dad. The dear man just shook my hand and told me he would lick the residue off his hand later...what a sweetie!
Thankfully I have a large supply of hankies in my amazing wedding bag, that has been to everyone of my 39 attendances this year, so I mopped myself up as best I could and wrapped myself even tighter in my throw, hoping no-one would notice the mess I was in.
We had a look at the table plan, seeing that we were to sit at the 'Gold Coast' with Kay and Stuart who have been wedding buddies of ours before and Fiona, who's son, Andrew was John's best man.
We found out later that John's Mum and Dad had given them a gift of their honeymoon to Australia and so all the tables were named after Aussie destinations, displayed beautifully on a heart trellis. We broke the news to Kay and Stuart that they would be stuck with us for the meal and all in all they took it quite well.
Robin had made a plan to meet up with Stephen and Natalie, who he will be marrying next March, in the afternoon, and they arrived with baby Cara so they could chat through plans with Robin over a cuppa, surrounded by baby toys. I decided to take Cara for a walk about, so Mum and Dad could get a break and we headed for the baubles ( well, they have to be good for something!) to keep her entertained. Someone stopped me to ask what age she was and I had to admit I didn't know, feeling quite complemented when they said, "Oh, I thought she was yours"....life in the old dog yet, eh?
Baby toys gathered up and plans to meet up for a stay over in Cove, in January, arranged we headed through for the meal to sit with Kay and Stuart and the rest of the Gold Coasters.
Claire's Dad started the speeches, welcoming John in to their family and speaking of his memory of Claire trying hard to walk and speak and being sick....and that was just her eighteenth!!
We were all in tears as John spoke, first of his gratefulness to Claire's family, his own and finally of his adoring and very obvious love for Claire, it took a few tissues but he got through and it was worth every tear!
Andrew took the mic and gave us some very amusing insights in to his friendship with John, recounting a time when a friend of John's professed undying love for him, refusing to leave his flat till he had seen him. It doesn't surprise me at all, as he is obviously loved by everyone!
We had a wonderful meal in great company, our wine being topped up magically by a very pleasant waiter and our food being perfectly cooked and tasting delicious.
As we were heading through after the meal I managed a quick shot of the cake with the bouquets all around, just beautiful!
Claire came up for a quick hello and allowed me to take her picture despite her aching facial muscles. I did tell her she didn't have to smile, but she mustered up all her energy and gave it her all...well done!
I had noticed a bucket of sparklers on the table during the afternoon and wondered what the plan was for them and soon we found out. We were all ushered outside with sparkler in hand, a few having a lighter too and waited to be told when to light them for a unique photo opportunity. Understandably a few sleeveless ladies decided to give it a miss, but as I had my wool throw, I stood strong and soon we had all had a light from our neighbour and sparkled in to the night with Claire and John.
There was a mad dash for the entrance as soon as the heat went, because it was pretty chilly I can tell you and we headed back in to the warmth and the evening dance.
It was at this point that John came over to tell us that friends of theirs, Ross and Naomi, who Robin married a few years back, had just texted to say that the snow was so bad on the road from Macduff to Aberdeen that they had turned back!
And so what was meant to be a leisurely hour or so before we headed off turned in to ....squeeze it all in to 5 minutes! So I forced John to have his photo take with Robin as I realised I didn't have a photo of him!
We said our farewells to them both and then went to find Kay and Stuart to let them know we were going sooner than planned, making them keep to their promise of a whiskey tasting evening when they get back to Banff, after Christmas shopping, if they survive!
I managed a quick cutting of the cake, picture, before we ran through the already falling snow to our car and back to Macduff.
The journey was a bit hairy in places with driving snow and huge puddles but we made it back safely serenaded by a CD of eighties dance tracks that Robin had made up specially for me to play in the car. He said it was my Christmas present and I'm quite happy with that, really!
John and Claire have found something amazing in each other. Someone who loves them just the way they are, with or without their baubles and their tinsel, through the sleeting rain or the soft fluffy snow. That's what I call a real gift!
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