Christmas Spirit is alive!

 

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On Sunday I had a huge urge to go and get the food shopping done. Clearly half the county had the same idea and the queue  for the car park was crazy. I am not ashamed to admit I let out an audible ‘YES!!’ when someone pulled out of a parent and baby space about 15 feet from the door that I nabbed. I then joined a million people in trudging round the store trying to to bash into peoples trollies even though I think Athena probably got whiplash from the 3 people that banged into mine! Also who needs THIRTEEN loaves of bread? Anyway after 45 minutes I’d had enough even though I hadn’t got a few bits so headed towards to immense queue at the checkouts.

After packing my £90 of a food onto the conveyor belt and thanking the nice old lady behind me for talking to Athena I realised I actually only had my clubcard with me, no purse. I’d taken it to to look for the sodding clubcard, and not put in back in my bag after I found the clubcard elsewhere. I immediately flushed with embarrassment and interrupted the girl on the checkout who was scanning the couple in fronts shopping to tell her I was a complete tit and had forgotten my purse. She was very good and managed not to roll her eyes at me, and explained they could keep the ambient stuff in the trolley but all the fresh would have to go back (at this point I must’ve looked really upset as I got the 2nd to last duck!) as I’d said it would take me at least 40 minutes to get home to get my purse and back! At this point the ANGEL (She was actually a youngish South African lady doing her own big shop with her partner) in front of me said “would you like me to pay for you until you can transfer me the money?”

Hallelujah! At first I declined, it was too kind and I thought it must be a joke, but she insisted and I didn’t resist any further, and so she and her boyfriend entertained a very grump Athena for me whilst I packed all the shopping into the trolley, then she came round and paid for me! I was so moved and grateful, and even the teenage checkout girl shed a little tear! The lovely lady (Bridget the Angel!) wrote her back details down for me and sent me on my way! I transferred her the money and a little extra as a thank you as soon as I got in, and she got a whole load of extra club card points! I am now on the lookout for ways to pass on her immense kindness, and hope that by sharing my story of Christmas spirit that perhaps anyone reading this may do so to! So please, pay it forward folks!

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Chocolate Biscuits from Kaths recipe (minus the booze, alas!) which were consumed rather quickly! Last night I made some peanut butter cookies and some ginger and oatmeal cookies, and Sam made some giant mine pies!

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We’ve only got a small fake tree this year, and a couple of funny little ferns that look a bit like trees if you squint, but as Athena doesn’t really know what’s happening I thought we could get away with it for this year!

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We’re more or less ready for the big day, even though Sam is working! I’ve been feeling gradually more festive over the last few days with baking, a candlelight carol service at the Church and wrapping presents! I hand made most of our presents this year so in the new year I’ll do a couple of posts on what I made, once the people who received them have been given them! I’m so excited to open my secret santa presents from Kathryn (via Hannah and the #secretsanta13!) she sent so many presents all beautifully wrapped and labelled!

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The carol service we went to was lovely, and Athena slept all the way through it sat on the lap of our friend Arijus! He did a very good job of holding his candle and not dripping it on the baby!

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I’m off to attempt to make a dulce du leche cheese cake before heading the pub for some festive fun with our friends tonight. Tomorrow we’ll be having our Duck roast dinner in the late evening once Sam is home from work, so I might get started on the stuffing and the pigs in blankets today so I can have a really lazy day tomorrow!

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Merry Christmas to you all, and if you don’t celebrate then I hope you can enjoy a nice bank holiday with your loved ones!

7 thoughts on “Christmas Spirit is alive!

  1. aWWWW this story is amazing, I would love to say I would do this, but not sure I would tbh. Such a lovely kind lady! Gorgeous pictures, so sweet she slept through the carol service it must of been a lovely atmosphere! x

  2. That’s such a sweet story! It’s nice to know that there are kind people out there. Love Athena’s Christmas pudding jumper 🙂 x

  3. I love that this happened! Its amazing how much difference a bit of kindness can make! We’ve been pretty pleased ourselves with helping neighbours out and them us, people popping over with flasks of hot water and the pub letting us charge our phones etc up. Makes Christmas feel good. Hope you had a lovely time, family members included 🙂
    xxx
    Chambray & Curls

  4. Just amazing! Seriously amazing! I shared your story with Nick and his parents as I was completely amazed when I heard. (Amazing appears to be the only word in my tired vocab right now 😉 )

    Thank you so much for linking to #TWTWI xx

  5. My hubby and I usually do a little high five if we manage to get a parent and child space in a very busy car park.
    And what a lovely woman for helping with your shopping. The story actually made me well up just a little. Sniffle.

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