We have started to receive Christmas cards, which is really nice. First, as always, we had one from R who is now living in New Zealand. But also from M & B who are on their way to Vancouver for Christmas and New Year and also one from B and L and about whom I feel very guilty since they don’t have computers and I should really write to them more often.

All the lights are up in Milan with, as usual, the overriding colour being white. To me, this is the perfect type of lighting for Christmas. Particularly nice, as I drive back from work, is coming up the rise from Piazza Repubblica, driving up past the Giardini Pubblici, where the white lights are all in the big conker trees that line the park. Really breathtaking. Maybe I shall take a photo in the next few weeks and post it?

This year we are on our own and, to be honest, I am looking forward to that. Obviously, it’s nice to have friends for Christmas, but, as I’ve said before on this blog, we also really enjoy each others company and having a quiet Christmas will be really, really nice.

Today is a public holiday in Milan. It is St. Ambrose’s day (he being the patron saint of Milan) so I am off work. On the other hand, V, dealing with the UK market, is at work. Ah well, you can’t have everything.

And now I must go as I have so much to do. Amongst those things are writing Christmas cards. I only hope we have enough as it’s so difficult to get them here and the ones you can get are so expensive. Still, following the delivery of stuff from the UK, there were some extras that we found, which will be good.