Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!!

I would like to take the opportunity to wish you all a very happy, healthy Christmas. Hoping it is warm, relaxing (and my particular wish) book filled.

I am spending a couple of days at my Mum’s house – cosying in with Mum her little dog Ozzie my sister and brother in law. We none of us go really mad with Christmas gifts – buying smallish things for one another (books count as smallish) – and I am fortunate in having several book loving friends so I can usually guarantee some books. The picture above is of only some of the bookish shaped parcels I have had to keep my mits off before the big day. Those who read this blog may guess – that my favourite kinds of gifts are book shaped or tea cannister shaped.

As this is a book blog I wanted to share something vaguely literary with you. You may have noticed my love of Hardy which generally only extends to his prose work, – but here is a short Christmas poem that I found , I think it’s rather sweet.

The Oxen

Thomas Hardy (1915)

Christmas Eve, and twelve of the clock.
“Now they are all on their knees,”
An elder said as we sat in a flock
By the embers in hearthside ease.

We pictured the meek mild creatures where
They dwelt in their strawy pen.
Nor did it occur to one of us there
To doubt they were kneeling then.

So fair a fancy few believe
In these years! Yet, I feel,
If someone said on Christmas Eve
“Come; see the oxen kneel

“In the lonely barton by yonder comb
Our childhood used to know,”
I should go with him in the gloom,
Hoping it might be so.

A massive thank you for supporting me and my blog, for popping by commenting and sharing your thoughts I do appreciate it.

Have a wonderful day today, whereever you are and whoever you are with.