How times change.............

Yesterday we took the children to a garden centre to see Santa, they stood in line and then went to see him and explained how good they had been and that they deserved and wanted various presents!!

 Ironically looking at their lists the night before had scared me rigid enough, and we had managed to ease them down to a more reasonable figure, still excessive to me, but in lieu of before and looking at costs I am honest enough to say not a child's often ridiculous wishlist.When Santa was asked no sudden surprises came out of the woodwork, such as "I want a drum kit!!" and we all went home happy, but the event left me wondering about two scenarios, one more a piece of advice and one a quandary...............

I offer this advice to all parents, it is a very important piece of advice and I urge you all to tell everyone you know, I am sorry to all stores I am upsetting on the way but Christmas magic and children are more important.

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, ALLOW CHILDREN TO GO AND VISIT SANTA IN HIS GROTTO AFTER ABOUT THE 21ST DECEMBER!!! ABSOLUTELY DO NOT EVEN THINK OF CHRISTMAS EVE!!!!!!

I realise a lot of Santa's and Elves might also be bored here, but as parents we need to see a bigger picture and see a longer game. When a child sits on Santa's knee that close to Christmas Day, safe in the knowledge that only Santa can deliver, forget Amazon, Hamleys or any other trick we may know, a switch in their brain cuts in and suddenly then they ask for something we have never heard about before. It will be an item that was so common a few weeks ago that shops could not give it away, but now, with no time left, the child is going to find out that Santa cannot deliver everything, and in the worst possible way let downs happen I appreciate that let downs happen, but in my eyes they should not happen to a child at Christmas!!

So do not let a cild down and don't see Santa, and don't let helpful Grandparents, Uncles,Aunts or Friends try

2013......

It is 2013, Happy New Year!!! 2012 has gone and finished, we all cheered for Her Majesty, roared for the Olympics and Para-Olympics, and then collectively waited to see what was going to happen on the 21st of December, was the world going to end, were catastrophes about to strike nations the like of which have never been seen before, or did the WHOLE WORLD spend the day asking each other what time things would happen, argue and debate different time zones, and then go to bed disappointed!!!

So here we are, 2013, the World never ended, some of us saved some money as when we bought Christmas gifts the sales were on - after the 21st - and when I bought petrol earlier the service station was selling Easter Bunnies and Eggs, and the wheels keep turning...............

Let's go back a step, let's forget the frivolity, we had Christmas, yesterday, as tradition dictates the decorations came down, and for all intents and purposes it is all forgotten until October time when the rush starts again, and yet on the 1st of January many of us swore allegiance to the tradition of New Year Resolutions!!!!

We were going to do all sorts in the year ahead, all in the name of "it is a New Year and a new start!!!"

• Lose weight.
• Stop smoking
• Change jobs
• Get a job
• Start aerobics
• Start swimming
• Go to India
• Become a vegetarian
• Get married
• Get Divorced
• Learn to dance

The list is endless, it can contain things that seem so trivial to someone and huge to others, and at the same time so simple to achieve and at the same time impossible seeming to follow through.......

How many of us made resolutions that have already been broken or at the least been threatened? I always say "I am going to lose weight!" I only want to lose a stone, maybe two, you would think that is quite easy to follow, two stone, 12 months to do it that is 2 pounds a month!!!! So why have I just sat here and eaten chocolate whilst typing this, why last night did I suddenly need more chocolate at 11pm????!!!!!! 

I know I am a chocoholic, understand the chocolate tonight was Hotel Chocolat, single Estate, limited edition finest blend, 55% chocolate. I could fill pages with all the words in the world about how to taste chocolate, enjoy chocolate, the after taste, the explosion of flavours you will experience as the chocolate hits different flavour zones and how these then combine to formulate the final experience and flavour. How your own mind conjures up an expectation that the taste buds then match in order to complete the package; and a proper chocolate after taste will only be one of the purest chocolate flavour as the added tastes melt away.

But who am really telling this to?? I am using this as a reason to eat the chocolate instead of just looking at it, and as such gaining the 2lbs and not losing it!!!!

Which is why I have this suggestion, and it is not really all mine to take the credit for, my Wife told me how she had read this and we agree with it - 

Why set yourself up for a fall?? By all means have a dozen resolutions you want to follow, have 2 dozen, but, do not try to start them all on Day 1!!!! Write them all down, and then classify them in an order you want to follow. From there right down a month next to the resolution, so against the couple of really key ones write January, the next few write March, then have a break and write June against a few and so on.

Better to achieve slowly, than rush and fail all, look at the list see what is best and take it from there, and who knows, when you get to June it may seem that "build a snowman" is a somewhat pointless exercise................