As usual, I shoved on every single bit of makeup from my stocking, so I looked quite extra (a.k.a. scary) for 10 a.m., and put on all my new bits of clothing, even though none of it matched. We had to delay proper presents round the tree as I had an incident with my Cadbury’s selection box (i.e., had eaten all of it except the Crunchie) and bending to pick up the presents and pass them out was making me feel a bit…volatile. But then genius Naomi opened our yearly box of posh chocolates from Dad, and weirdly, it turned out eating more was the solution. Who knew?!

Mum and Nay loved their pressie from me—tickets to a baking class with one of the Bake Off winners (pheeewwww—it cost ALL my savings). But Naomi went weird, and I had no idea why until I opened my pressie from her. A ticket for me to go too! Absolute result!!! She said it was older-taller-sister intuition. (Fred later accidentally revealed he’d tipped her off about how much I wouldn’t stop talking about it.)

Ruby loved what I’d bought her—a personalized handheld mirror that I’d had engraved with “And the winner of Best Actor goes to…” around the edge. It was to use before her auditions, because if I couldn’t be there to remind her how awesome she was, maybe this would instead. Honestly, when Ruby, the girl I’ve never seen express an emotion in almost sixteen years, rang, she looked kind of…teary. In a good way. IT WAS TOO MUCH! Maybe that’s why I had major eye leakage when I opened hers—a snow globe of the ice rink in Central Park that she’d also had personalized! (Related thought—me and Mum’s new beige carpet can confirm my new eyeliner is NOT waterproof.) It really couldn’t have been more perfect if it tried. It said…one sec, let me get it…

“Shake my snow, dream what you feel, make a Christmas wish, then watch it become real.”

** Full disclosure, I’ve now done that 1,000 times but haven’t YET had my wish granted and been teleported to New York. **

** Even fuller disclosure, I also shook it allll the way through Nay and me watching the Christmas Eve Snow Ball concert in Madison Square Garden, but still nothing. YET. **

Argh?! Did I mention the twins? How could I not?! Oh yes…because they spent the whole day running around with a box on their heads. One box, four legs. Each to their own. Being five must be a lot of fun. Even Colin was looking at them like they’d lost it, and his favourite hobby is licking the oven.

Which reminds me. The big thing. COLIN WENT MISSING!