It's not just Christmas Eve

It's never been. For thir a long long time it has also been the night that someone led me away from the family crowd, handed me a largish, flat box and I thought: "Oh you naughty boy, you got me some skimpy nightie or something that you don't want me to open in front of everyone." It rattled a bit more than a skimpy nightie would because inside, without any tissue, was a tiny velvet box. I thought: "Oh you generous boy, you got me some earrings or a pendant and you didn't want people to know you dropped five month's salary on it."

It was neither. The sparkly diamond was brighter than any Christmas star since the dawn of time-it still is-and I thought: "You crazy boy, I've only known you six months, you can't be...you are...oh you are, aren't you..oh...oh dear...

Wail!! Sob!! Sniff!! Yes.

Had this not been on my finger, I would have been certain it was just a dream when I awoke the next morning.

Merry Christmas to all of you. x