Who wants a perfect Christmas? I don't

My living room looked trashed after my son and his family ( 2 adults, 1 teenager &3 under 6's) left yesterday evening. I really mean really trashed.the contents of two boxes of crackers strewed over the floor, ankle deep in wrapping paper, dining table covered in empty dirty plates, half eaten food scattered around, Cusions and throws disarranged. Wine and 1 champagne bottle left on side. We'd spent most of the day in this state all with the the music from two disney dolls wineing out the theme from 'frozen' the noise from a remote controlled transforma. One grandchild hit in the head by a champagne cork,one 6 yr old hit in the eye by a sword yielding G.S. one poorly 2 year old. One D.H spent the day with a screw driver in hand fixing batteries in said toys. Far from the 'good houskeeping' ideal but good enough for us and I suspect lots of other lucky families.

Not including friend disaster on another thread...

My lovely tidy house was totally trashed by the traditional rip fest when opening presents. Then toys were strewn throughout the house. New pieces of lego were lying in wait to leap under uncovered feet and did so on several occasions. It was brilliant.

We had the calmest, most stress-free Christmas Day I can remember. We spent Christmas Eve having a lovely dinner at DD's - exchanged presents and had charades and chats and it was just super. I was very proud of our girl - she is a brilliant hostess and cook, DSiL was his usual welcoming self and DGC were loving and very pleased with our gifts to them.

On "the day" DH and I both had surprise parcels ( we had agreed not to do them!) and I had the Lowry print I've had my eye on for ages but best of all, DH finally agreed that I can go ahead and adopt the two cats I want. I went to sing carols with some of my choir at a community lunch for those who would have been on their own otherwise. That was a special and rewarding event and I'm glad we did it.

Then returned and I cooked - lobster tail starter, roast pheasant and all the trimmings and my special pud - a chocolate bombe. All eaten and enjoyed by candlelight and then a face time with DS and family ski-ing in Austria. I went to bed a very happy and fortunate GN!

DD said it was one of her best ever Christmases, despite over cooked turkey and parsnips and spending longer in church than planned.

We sat on the settee, talked, read and watched 'Miss Pettigrew lives for a day' and because we both took to Ciaron Hinds, we watched him as Captain Wentworth in Persuasion.