The Rising’s Growing Together Podcast - Christmas Was Amazing… But The Come Down Was Real

Episode Date: January 1, 2026

The Christmas comedown is real. In this episode we talk post-holiday emotions, family chaos, travel with kids, thoughtful gifting, and how we reset after Christmas. Full festive debrief incoming presence, traditions, illness, airports, pyjamas, grief, family and the magic of Christmas. This week we're chatting all things post-Christmas reality the comedown, the reset, the joy and chaos that comes with kids, travel, gifting and family. We share our Christmas experiences across two households, what worked, what was messy, and how we handled it all emotionally. We talk taking decorations down early, decluttering the house, being present, navigating moods, thoughtful gift-giving, secret Santa wins, the magic of Christmas Eve traditions with kids and also the quiet heaviness that can come with illness, grief and expectations. A cosy, honest conversation easing into the new year, with laughter, chaos, gratitude and real mum-life moments.

Welcome back. Christmas. I got my coffee as well today. I'm taking a coffee. Next, he was like, why he's taking a coffee? I was like, I have to. I haven't had my afternoon. And then it'll be too late and I won't get one.

I've got a small, I'm that old. It's a small period. Time slot. I need it, but I can't drink a past a certain time. It is, because if it got past that time, I wouldn't be able to have one. I wouldn't go to sleep. This is it, my takeaway coffee. Some of my Christmas jermies.

Yeah, so Christmas has been and gone. It has. And it has fully gone from my house because even though on the way back from the airport, Liam was like, so we take the tree and stuff down. And I was like, no. I was like, not at least to the first. I'm not that bothered about keeping it until after three kings and stuff. But at least I'd get Christmas out of the way in December.

And Leigham and Kaysen was like, yeah, the first. Well, then I had a day yesterday. And I was like, take it down. Take it all down. Christmas is over. Christmas is over. So, yeah, I was in a right mood yesterday. So I took all down.

No, you did. I literally bought it. Oh my God. Literally it's over. Yeah. Just waiting for my Amazon delivery to come with a new tree bag. Oh, no. We ditched the box.

So we need a bag for it. And then it will be out the house. And then it's gone. Yeah. It is, I must admit, that is a lovely feeling. It is a nice feeling. Especially when like the whole place is a mess. There's loads of extra toys.

None of them have houses yet. Like to be able to be put away. There's stuff like just around. The kids are at home. So there's no point tidy. things away completely. So the house is just a mess. That's what we were just saying.

Everywhere. My car. So it was nice to just clear, because our tree's massive. And it does make it feel cleaner. Just by taking it. You haven't even cleaned. There's a whole big space now where the tree was.

And it just feels tidier to not have all these little bits and bobs around. I won't do mine yet. But I am excited to do it when I do it because it does. It does make me feel like a lot. cleaned when I come. And it has. Like we had a lovely time in England, but coming back, and it's probably what I had a day yesterday. I was just in a mood. I was working. I just was feeling all the stuff at work that I need to get done. Looking around every room of the house, like, I need to sort that, I need to declutter this, I need to organise that, I need to bid these

things, I need to buy that. And then I was like, yeah, so like work and then home. And then, obviously, we don't know for sure if Liam's having knee surgery on the second of down your age either having that or pre-op stuff so I don't even know if that's happening. So trying to get like, just having that pressure of the deadline of I want the house to be as tidy and on top of all the washing and just all the stuff. Just a bit of more organisation. Everything put away as possible by the first. So that, yeah, when I am riding solo. And then he ain't going to have anything until like two weeks later.

And in that two weeks, everything would have messed up. Yeah, exactly. So I'm nowhere near getting any of that done. Kaysen's room is just you know with all the stuff we've come back from England with and you know like until I show him how to put things away

he's very good at cleaning his room and every one of his toys has a thing and he is quite organised like that but I have to create that first and he's got loads of new stuff so once I go right this now goes there he'll be on it. As we still have our piles really in the living room

not going to lie yeah well I think I don't want to be that mum that like everything's out the way and like constantly they're having to get what they want out like in the rest of the year yeah it's fine but like for Christmas while they're at home yeah and we're off and it's yeah I want them to have like stuff around and it yeah well that's what it's about it's kind of well I think that's what it's about I feel like um although some of us have to work choose to work whatever the choice is or even if we don't I feel like that in between stage is that it's the in between stage.

It's, do we get dressed or not? Yeah. Either we're still having chocolate for breakfast or not. Or we still having cold sandwiches. Like, you know, like, you know, that sort of what day is it? What day is it? Where are we? Oh my God, it's Sunday.

No, it's not. It's Thursday. You know, it's a little bit like that. And I think that as much as, especially as a parent can be so, oh, because then like, you know, I feel like we go from that and then always in, right, no, yeah, carry on. New Year, carry on. No, no, I was in my pyjamas for two weeks. Give me a break.

Yeah. Now I'm this brand new better version of myself. Yeah. Within, throwing, oh, happy new year. You know, just chill out on me a bit. I think that's what it was. I was thinking of all the things that I want to do next year and just all the jobs and the tasks and no time to do it.

And his whinging and being ill. And it's like, oh. And then what you do it? You layer yourself. You lay yourself with more stuff. When you're in that mode. And then I just paralys myself because I was in such a mood. I couldn't even do anything.

Yes. Then I just wasted a day. like yesterday even and after work, like not even doing a couple of the jobs to get started because I was in a mood. So, yeah. I was a bit like that. I was,

I had a good day of, it's funny. We're quite in sync actually. We have bad days where we're not even talking to each other. You were like, and I'm really pissed on. I was going to record yesterday and you were like, I've been rushing around all there and I really just could do with not recording today.

And I was like, good, because I'm in a mood and I don't think I'd want to talk anywhere. And I've just had to cry. So it really helped. I had a cry after. But it was, it just, and nothing, nothing was happening. That's exactly. Making myself, one or more or more. And then it just kind of was like, right, let's just be, that it was, that it was so lovely with this.

You know, that, do you know, that, it's not a good day. Let's just do it another day, you know. And it, and then I had the cry. And again, I couldn't tell you why. It was just a lot of stuff going on in my mind. I think the same, like, just feeling a bit overwhelmed. Yeah. And then that creates that pit in your stomach where it's a bit of anxiety.

No one in my house noodle cry, actually. So I'm probably going to go, you cry yesterday. Yes, I went outside. I had a little cry yesterday. I'm going back in, okay? Love that. People aren't even aware. No one, they'd probably see if they looked on my cameras,

but no one would know because it just didn't need that. Yeah. Nothing needs that. But you know what I mean? It just was a bit and then everyone would have been like, what's the matter? What's the matter? I'm like, I'm actually fine.

Yeah, yeah. You know what I mean? It was obviously just your release. Yeah, yeah. You know, I'm probably due on as well. I actually went into my phone and was like, I might you want. There you go.

Because I really can't. I don't have a phone to tell me to have. I'm just, just my body. I don't really affect. me that much. Like when people are like, oh, I'm due on like, me. And it's like, you know, like you're another person kind of thing. I don't really get like that. But I obviously have moments. So I did check and I was like, I'm feeling like this. I'm not quite sure why. There you go. And yeah, no, I'm not true. No, no, we're not. Just my to-do list was just

too long. But it happened. And it's just, we're human. Yeah. No, we're not robots. Yeah. And I think like you say, because I knew we were recording today and we're right in the middle of the The studio's nearly done. Thanks, Liam. So the floor is down. So I wanted to start like moving things around. But I couldn't because I knew we were recording today. And I wasn't quite ready for us to record in there.

So like after this I'll be able to move this stuff out. Move Hayden in a little bit. Start clearing like some of the toys from the living room into Hayden's room. That's a huge shift. Just a little bit of organising and the next step. Yeah. It's a big. That is a big shift.

It's going to be a big step. And that's going to be a nice feeling when it's done as well for you. Yeah. And for all of you. One just to be a bit more organised. But everyone's got their own space. Yeah, Hayden's to be in his room because it is quite annoying. Like, you know, like if Liam's quite good.

Like, if I want to watch something on TV, I'll watch, you know, what I want on the TV. But like sometimes I like to watch TV in bed. And I don't have done that for like a year, year and a half. Because he's in bed. So, yeah, it would be nice to get him out just so that you wouldn't want to risk turning it on to make that. Oh, definitely not. No chance. Definitely not

So yeah It would be nice just to do Or like If I don't shower before he goes to bed I can't shower Yeah Liam does Liam goes in there and showers

But I'm like Yeah I don't want to make noise and stuff So sometimes Well Liam half showers In the other bathroom And sometimes he'll just go into art Yeah yeah

You know when all your stuff's in there I know It's your space And then it Yeah And if I don't do like My skincare stuff Yeah

Which I'm not very good at But like I've got a few new bits In the airport So it's like You know, like when you want to do it and it's like, the baby's in there and I don't want to make noise and turn lights on. Is that an age?

I feel anyway, if this, if this, if the studio wasn't in here, you would have, you would have put him in here anyway. For sure. For sure. It's all it is. It's these that are pushing. Yeah. Sorry. Not had a bedroom for a car.

I know. I know. But it'll be worth it. That'll be absolutely, once you like you say, once we're done, you can. Yeah. And it just makes you feel better, don't it? Yeah. It definitely makes you know.

And I even, not me. Liam even moved all my stuff out of my old office into there, so I've now got my desk and stuff in that room. So that's it. So, yeah, so I've even got like a new area to work in the new year. Exciting. Have we named it yet? The shed?

Still the shed. I keep calling it the shed and everyone's like, that's so much nicer than a shed. Definitely not a shed. But I don't know. I think even Liam said, I think it's the shed. It's going to have to be the shed, don't it? The shed.

The shed. So people think it's a shed. Literally. And then when they come up to it like, the shed. Yeah, wow. Because it is, it is lovely. But what are you, so you went to England for Christmas? Yes, so we went to England on the 19th.

But not to your hometown or anything like that? No, we didn't actually go. So my mum and dad moved back in the summer, but they've moved probably about an hour and a half from where we used to live in Portsmouth. So they've got their own place. So, yeah, we went and stayed with them. So, yeah, I didn't really,

I didn't get to catch up with any, like, friends or, anything like that when we were back because we just weren't in the area. And it was probably one of the only times we've never bothered to hire a car. We normally do. But my mum's got a car. She had car seats. So it just made sense. And it's Christmas.

It's different. The whole point is to go see Mom and Dad who don't live in Spain anymore and spend quality time. Exactly. So, yeah, we went back on the 19th, which was nice. Oh, my God, Ada. Again. God, he's going to watch back at the, like, God, all you did is in the moment. about me for a year and a half.

My God, he was on one. So obviously, anyone that flies with small kids, like, you know, you go into it with a little bit of anxiety of how it's just going to go. You just don't know. Kaysen was an amazing traveller. We took him on flight since he was little. So, I mean, we took Hayden on flight since he was little, but it's made no bloody difference.

So Kaysen was a smooth traveller. You compare Hayden and Kaysen. They're very, very different children. So anyway, I'm worried about the flight. flight was fine. He stole Liam's ham sandwich and then slept. So the flight was absolutely fine. What was a nightmare was in the airport.

So we got there, going through security, all of that fine. We went through to the English bit. And he was playing with like the little arcade park bit. And then he just, I don't know if he was overstimulated or what he just was, could not be consoled. No matter what I gave him, what I tried to distract him with, he just was screaming, crying, and to be fair, the last couple of weeks he's now doing that.

I think it's his new tantra play. So I think we've just got terrible twos a bit early. But, like, you don't even know what's wrong with you. What's wrong with you? Like, what do you want? And I'll give it to you. You're going to have whatever you want. Anything.

But no, he just couldn't be like consoled. He just was like screaming, crying and whatever. And then, to be fair, before that happened, so maybe this triggered it. We're walking towards the passport control when he's running. And he's ran too fast and he's hit the floor. But he kind of hit and spanned. So I didn't think he hurt himself that bad.

But anyway, I looked. He had an egg on his eyebrow, like a lump, like a golf ball lump on his eyebrow. Oh. Purple immediately. But he didn't cry on that? Yeah, yeah. Oh, he cried. He cried.

But not like that cry. No, no. That's a different cry. This was like he cried because he hurt himself. But then, you know, picked him up, whatever. But, I mean, it was so close to split in. It was so lucky it didn't. because this was on the way through.

But no, this other cry was like a screaming angry, like I had enough kind of cry. So anyway, he did that for about an hour. And then he got on the flight and luckily he stopped. Stole him's ham sandwich and went to sleep. But then soon after we got there, he got really ill. So we got there on the 19th, the 20th. My brother and his partner come up, which was nice

because they are in like emergency services so they're not very good at getting like days off and stuff so they were working over Christmas so we they came up the day after which was nice. Well done you too. Well done. Yeah. Thanks for your service.

Yeah, well done. So yeah, that was nice. We spent the day with them and then the next day me and Liam left the boys of my mom and dad and we went to London. Yes. So we got an early train. Yeah, it was essentially two days

because we went in the morning and we come back in the evening in the next day. So Liam had booked us tickets. to a comedy show, which was really good. So we went up early, you know, mooched around London, met up with some friends of mine. So a girl that I went to college with, met with her and her partner that we met at a friend's wedding the year before.

So that was really nice. We caught up with them and then we mooched about, went to the comedy show and then mooched about the shops and then come back the next day. The whole time this is happening, hi, boys are all right. Yeah, boys are fine. Boys are fine. Get back.

Of course. And, yeah, Hayden's really... They're in Hayden's really not well. He's slept basically for 24 hours in and out of basically consciousness with a serious temperature that we nearly actually took him to hospital because we were worried about his breathing. So I was like, oh my God. But yeah, by the time we got back, he'd had like the worst of it, like the 24 hours of... But that's the best of your mom, can I just say, seriously, because she knows what she's doing. It would have made no difference you coming back, really.

You're not going to make him better because you're there. No. She knows how, you know what I mean? Unless she was that worried that look, I think you need to be here because I am going to take him to a doctor. Do you know what I mean? I think that's so lovely. No, it is nice because like I say, we would have obviously just stopped him to come straight back. So it would have took, I mean, it was a two and a half hour train even to get to London.

It wouldn't have changed. So it would have taken me probably three, four hours to even get back straight away. And like you say, there's nothing you can do for them. and he's more than happy with her. And I know when you said, oh, you should have said it, but actually, like you say, if you said it, I would have gone.

I would have left. I would have been, I would have even left or I would have been constantly thinking about it. Exactly. And not enjoyed it anyway. Yeah, I'm glad she didn't tell me. Yeah.

But she did say, she was like saying to my dad, woke him up in the night. Like, I'm, I think actually, like, we need to have think. But anyway, no, he was all right. When we got back, he was over like the worst of it,

the temperature stuff, like the medicine brought it down and stuff. And he was just really tired and just, like I say, just not very happy. That's bad enough as it is having a sick baby at home. Yeah. But when you're away travelling. I think that at Christmas. Yeah. You know, it's just like, he didn't want to open any presents.

No, I can imagine. He just didn't want to get put down. He was winging a lot. Yeah. Because he just couldn't, he just was not very well and he just didn't know what he wanted. But that fluy light. thing has been going around now for a while. I know Mason's had it.

My Mason had it. Before that, my mom had it. Before that, my brother had it. Before that my niece had it. Yeah. So it's definitely, that's just my lot. And people are saying like, oh, it's wiped me out of like a week. I've had patients having to change yet. Like, cancel it, rebook a week.

Week later, I'm still, and I need to, do you know what I mean? But as we believe him, my mum got it out. And then she was like, oh, poor thing. Like, this is horrible. So, yeah. I've never known Mason to be wiped out. He had a whole week in bed. Yeah.

Well, before we left, we had the sickness bug. Liam thinks he had the fluy bit as well. Yeah, just not as bad. Two days in bed, like, couldn't function. So, yeah, it wasn't great because he was like that basically the entire time. But it was nice because, like, say, we got to see everyone and then we got back from London and then... In actual fact, sorry, it was actually probably nice that... I know it sounds pretty bad.

He was with your mom then when he was real. Yeah. Because you just got more hands, I suppose. We were literally like just passing. You know what I mean? Between you and Liam, you probably would have, do you know what I mean? Do you know what I mean?

You know what I mean? It was, yeah. And then like I would sleep with him in the bed and Liam slept on the sofa just so that like we were tag team in. We had no plans which was nice. We had a couple plans but most of it we didn't have plans. So yeah, like sometimes I did go down and I watched a film and he napped on me. So we had a lot of, we had a lot of cuddle naps which was good.

So sorry, I did interrupt you there. And then my sister obviously, Rick's already, living down the road so she was there. Sean come on the 23rd, I think it was. So Christmas Eve we saw one set of grandparents and my mum booked us a little train from their little town which had the proper old school carriages. You know, you know, like a Harry Potter like when they go to school. It was literally like that and then Santa came with the elves and gave them a little gift

and a little candy cane and stuff. That was really cute. Because I used to have that in England. Did you? I'm not on a carriage train. It was on a... I don't know what it was. It was probably like a car, actually, or a tractor.

I don't even know. But it was a Santa that would... I think that it still happens. It goes around every like... Caldysac or whatever you want to call him. You know what I mean? And then everyone comes out and he's only slain. It's all little...

Right, okay. You know what I mean? So this was... We went to like the little town. The station. We got onto the train. And we went on the train for... Like a local polar express.

Yeah, it was literally like a really old... school train that I don't think it's a train for day-to-day use. I think they must just use it for these kind of things. I was going to say a quote then from Pepper Pig, but you probably don't know what I'm going. You know, it's in the train one from Pepper Pig when it's something like, it's not a It's a locomotive. Yeah, I do know what you're on about. I can't believe we remember that.

That was years ago. I don't know how you remembered that. I remember that from Kaysen and that's quite impressive. So we did that, which was really nice. and then Christmas Day My mum actually hired the local village hall Yes I remember you're saying me Literally two minutes up the road from her

In this proper like Emmadale kind of town So it's this village hall that looked like You know like the sports hall of your school Yeah It was like that But with like a kitchen next to it Which was nice Because other grandparents come up

My auntie come up with her boys So that was a good number of us Which was nice The kids just ran around put music on. We, mum cooked most of it before we went, so it was nice. We were there for a good couple of hours,

which was a really good idea. Rather squishing everyone into, like, someone's house. Yeah. Like, you're in a nice space, you've got your kitchen, you're all together, the kids have got to be, you know, like, don't do this, don't do that, don't shout, don't run, don't, you know, like that's sort of feeling. Exactly, especially with, like, the kids,

you just want them to have fun. So that was good. And then Boxing Day we came home. Nice. And then we did like a little Christmas kind of I'd put them in presents round limbs and dads. Yeah. With Chantelle and the girls.

So that was nice. So they had an extra couple of presents. So to be fair, Kaysen had presents pretty much every day for a week. Oh, wow. Because it was with Connor and Chris. Yeah. Then it was, well, the day we got there, my mum gave him loads of bits. Because she'd bought them quite a lot of clothes.

Yeah. Which was handy because then I didn't actually have to pack and bring anything with me. So she let them open them all on the same day. So all his K-pop stuff. from his favourite movie. And then, yeah, then with Conant and Chris, then she gave him another one. Then, yeah, yeah.

Pretty much every day. So, yeah, no. It was good. Good, apart from illnesses. Apart from Hayden being ill, it was, it was lovely. I think without an illness, a baby, a baby, is not a babies, but I mean, a child of that age is hard work anyway.

Do you know what I mean? Just, yeah, but well done. How about you? Through it. Do you know, I was just thinking about it then So we Where was we? Where was to be? I'm trying to think.

Well, we kicked it off with Christmas party at yours. Yes, we did. We had our Christmas party as that we have every year as well, don't we? And we do, the kids do a secret centre between themselves. Yeah. Which they love. They really do love doing it. So that was nice.

Everyone bought something. I think we mentioned it last time as well. I think we talked about George's. George's, that's what I was thinking then. I'm sure we have mentioned this. Yeah. Yeah, because George's cheese, I don't know if I get the wrong thing, but the cheese thing, which was brilliant.

So, yeah, that was great. That definitely kicked it off. And then what else did we have? You still had to do your, you said you were going to take Lexi to get all her bits because your family do explain it. So between us, so between the five of us, we're saying that, we say the five of us, the three children, because obviously we get them present. So the three children to the four, how to explain it?

So say Lexi has to get five-year-a-present. For me, Mitch, Morgan and Mason. Yeah. So each kid has to buy four gifts for the rest of the family. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And five-year-o, nothing more, which I know they definitely spent more, because I know what Lexi got me was more than five euro. Not much more, obviously, but it's just the point of you haven't got to spend a lot of money.

Please don't spend a lot of money, yeah. And what's even more cute now is obviously that they're earning their own money in different ways so that I would give them the money, especially Lexi, obviously not Mason. to Lexia Morgan because they're young but no Morgan's the one no no I've got my money

every year I've got my money so he won't let me give him any money bless him Chloe bought me a present this year actually yeah she went and spent her money she won't be a little set with like shower gel and a bath bomb a little bit but it's just the thought

you know of that they'll go around but they spend their own money exactly but they're going around and thinking yeah and that's what's nice because you can go and buy anything for an amount of a lot or little You know what I mean?

Yeah. But when you get these gifts and you just think, wow, that's really me. They've really thought about it. It's lovely. And it hasn't cost the world. Yeah. Now that is a really good kind of skill to instill in kids. Yeah.

That thoughtfulness. Yeah. So, and yeah, sometimes things do, you have to invest in things or whatever to, whatever it's a shoes or clothing or jewelry or whatever that is. Yeah. It's not always, it doesn't, you know, it's not the be all and all of everything. So, but I also like the process of that. So obviously, like you say, we have a day when, I'll take Lexi and obviously if she gets something for me,

I can't look if she gets something for me or then she'll have to go with Mitch. But, and then Mitch will take Morgan for example. Or actually, to be fair, the way we planned it was that Mitch was going to take Morgan. But just because no plan goes to plan. We all ended up going for the boulevard and just kind of splitting up. That's probably the better way to do with. Yeah, obviously Lexi went with Mason and then it ended up, me and Mitch being together and all the three kids being together.

So. And then we actually met at the end and obviously came home. So I do like that process as well. Yeah. And then between the family, or should, my in-laws, obviously, is that we do seven-year-day presents between us all. But that's the Secret Centre, isn't it? No.

Oh, so you still have to get everybody. Everyone. Only seven euros. Do you maximum is seven euros? Six pounds. From your family? No. So I have to get Mitch, not the kids, forget the kids.

It's adults only. All right. Okay, okay. Adults only. which is why Uncle Jack said that Mason has to be in it from next year. Okay. You are an adult. You are in the seven-year-a-presence.

So I have to get Mitch, my mother-father-in-law, my sister-in-law, my brother-in-law, my brother-in-law, seven-year-a present. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And it is, I'd love it. I absolutely love it. Because we used to do the thing of just one person. So I would have one, like you said, one person, six dollars and 20 euro.

Yeah. But it's just better like this. It's just better getting everyone some, everyone a little something. Yeah. I got brilliant things. Like we all got brilliant things. Yeah. But like I say, it's the thoughtful, because it's what people think of you is.

It's that. It's that. So I get things like socks, pens and books because I love a list. Yeah. I think I've got three versions of, I've got a click one that goes on the fridge. I've got one that's a to-do list. I've got a proper book. Like, it's just how they know you, you know?

Yeah, yeah. I've got hand warmers. Got fluffy socks. You know, just certain things obviously how they know you. I got, well, still I get. Oh, I've got my phone thing or something on my phone. Yeah. Just literally little bits and bobs like that.

And we do that every year. Yeah. And it's brilliant. It's absolutely brilliant. Literally we are like, right, kids, you're done. Because that day is the day that, like you say, when the grandparents come over and the auntie and uncles there, the kids get their presents from them. And they give our nieces. And you do that on Boxing Day.

And we do that on Boxing Day. Because Christmas Day for us is just the five of us. That's it. We will have, we'll get up. Mine were at six o'clock. I know. Mine's looked until eight. I could not much.

And then I don't want to be miserable then, obviously, because it's Christmas. You're not used to a six o'clock as you are. I'd spend five days getting the boys to bed late, later and later and later. I didn't even think about it. But yeah, they were at Bluffam because obviously it's all about that. But yeah. That's it. We'd had a full English breakfast by eight o'clock. Mitch wanted to put our dinner hour too.

Like, you know what I mean? So yeah, so it's nice. We just get out. We obviously open the presents, have a chill morning. We have a full English breakfast. And then we have like our starters for lunch. Yeah. We have, like me and Mitch have broccoli and still and soup.

That's our soup every year. And you make that? Mitch makes that. From scratch. Wow. It doesn't grow the broccoli. But yeah. Not your close.

Yeah. And I make paté from scratch. Jesus. I know. You need to pass on some of these recipes. Oh, my restaurant is a chef. Oh, that's true. Yeah.

Something should have rubbed off. Well, actually, I'll tell her, my mum told Mitch about the Brooklyn Steel because that's what I've grew up with from my mum. Yeah. And then my brother-in-law taught me how to make the paté. And so we have that for starters and the kids won't have that suit. They'll have a tomato suit if they want it, if not they'll just have patty. And then we'll have our dinner, obviously, earlier dinner, really, to be honest.

And we'll have the full Christmas dinner. Yeah. All that. And Mitch is the cook for everything, by the way, of this. I don't. Wow. I don't go anywhere near that kitchen. Yeah, nowhere near that kitchen.

I'm the maker, the player, you know, the games maker, the builder, that sort of thing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then we would, obviously, you know what it's like Christmas Day, playing all your games, and setting everything up, that's it. And Mitch is also the one there with the bag. He's the mom with the bag. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Straight after.

In the bag. And then we'll go for a walk. But this Christmas day here was. was raining, wouldn't it? It was so, like torrential. It just didn't stop. It didn't give up just for a minute. You know, like, oh, come on, let's go.

And it was a bit unfortunate because obviously Matt Morgan got a new bike. You know, like all these things that they wanted to try out and go outside. And there just was no giving it, you know, to actually go, oh, come on, let's go out. So usually we'd go for a walk, but we couldn't really do that this year.

And then we have obviously our desserts, carry on playing games. And then when the kids are in bed, me and Mitch have a cheeseboard. I want to make a chutney as well every year. And only in chutney. Oh my God. It's the only time I ever really cooked stuff properly is Christmas.

Yeah, but you go all out. Yeah, I do. Because then it lasts that sort of stuff as well, you know? So yeah. And then you know what it's like? So then we have our boxing day. So 25th, nice and chilled, the fibre verse, lovely. Yeah.

26. Do da, da, do. Everyone turns out. No, it's on his ease. It is brilliant. Loud, chaotic. But in the best way. It's how it should be.

We're just, like, say, eating all. loads of different bits of box. Does your mum and dad go as well? My mum and dad don't go. They came one year, I think. They've been there for Christmas day one year and they've been there for Boxing Day one year. And I think in the end they said, it was lovely but it was a bit much. You've got to think mine are the youngest. Well, no, they're not because my brother's had more kids. But, you know, like they've got so many. They've done so many, you know, like with the bar and all that. I get it. I get it. I get it. Yeah, yeah. You know, so actually we've changed it with our mum and dad, with my mum and dad to we don't really

eat Christmas dinner with them. Nothing like that. Not this year. The year before we had an Indian. This year we went for a Chinese. Okay. You know, like so we don't. So you just go out for a meal.

Yeah, we just go for something to eat. Nothing like Christmasy, you know, but just to be together. You've got your day where you're all spending with a damn. And my mom and dad always give, uh, wrong I say they're giving to me, but it's probably not for me. It's obviously for the kids. They always give a box of celebrations and a box of these Victoria Biscuits. Now, it's so weird, isn't it? Because it's not a lot.

It's not like, oh, some big. extravagant present and I think they started it because of just in the end how many children we were all having it was just like those two I can't I can't afford it which I completely understand yeah yeah and it's so weird because if they didn't give us that present of box of chocolates or biscuits I'm like where's my biscuits? I rely on you. I want your biscuits you know so it is it's all lovely it's all like yeah you know it's a little bit like for me I give my kids one they can choose one present to open on Christmas Eve they choose it like from under the tree. Yeah. Yeah. So they get to...

See, we were allowed to do a present on Christmas Eve and you always got excited but it was always pyjamas. So it was before we kind of had the Christmas Eve boxes. Yeah. Oh no, I don't do Christmas Eve boxes. They are always pajamas bill. Oh, right. Yeah, but you said they pick it. Yeah, they do because nothing else is under the tree that's with their name on it. Oh, okay. Everyone else is like almost seven year presents and all that. Oh, I see what you mean. But only their name, whatever present they wanted. Only their name is on one present. You know, actually this year it was on two because I got pajamas and I got slippers. So they were well baffled up there.

But I did it the year before and I didn't get in pajamas and their faces were like, oh, did we get pajamas? Well, you dig me out when I get your pajamas and yet when I don't get your pajamas. That's it's one of those things as kids you just mowed about, but you actually love it. And then they are, but they love it. They absolutely love it. And then I have to get my photo of the three of them still every year in front of the tree. Obviously with their pajamas that they open, whatever it is,

but they open under the tree. They make cookies, Santa cookies, to leave for Father Christmas. That's another uncle Jack's rest of pee. Yeah. And yeah, carrot, milk and then off to bed. Nice. So that's our same thing every year, really. And I absolutely love it.

I really do it. So it's different for us this year because obviously we went back. But for years previously, we would do Christmas Eve at my mum and dad's. Yeah. And then Christmas day, like morning we'd be. at home and then we'd go over to Linde, Mums and that. But yeah, because we weren't here. They all actually went for an Indian Christmas day.

There you go. So, no, it's nice. I get it as well, you know, because I'm not a big roast eater anyway. I'm not. And neither of his mason. So that's out of our family. Do you know what I mean? It's quite a difficult.

It's like, oh, we're really excited for it. Yeah. Don't get me wrong, I think, because I haven't had one all year. I really enjoyed. I really enjoyed fine, actually. And obviously, they'd done extras. So it wasn't a typical roast dinner. My mum had done.

Well, Liam had brought some lamb cutlets. Of course he did. Of course he did, yeah. Well, my mum thought she bought him lamb and she got it out a couple days before. She went, oh, this is beef. So Liam bought some lamb cutlets. Then she had beef and then she had, I don't even know if it was chicken or turkey, actually. And then a gammon maybe.

So we used to do, but with the kids, we're younger. So I don't know why we get less now. But anyway, we used to do that. We used to get all of it. All of the meat you could think of. I'd get turkey, I'd beef, I had pork, I had ham, I'd everything. And then me and Mitch were like, we don't even eat it. Yeah.

So now we get chicken because everyone likes chicken. Yeah. And we get ham. Yeah. Because Mitch absolutely. Well, there was like, I think, 12 of us or maybe 15 of us. Of course, that's. So there was a few.

But then like the broccoli and cauliflower cheese, which isn't a normal every kind of dinner. Without your Christmas extras, I think. Yeah. Sprout. Unless you're my mom. With bacon. Yeah. Have you tried them?

Only this time. Are they nice? I don't like Brussels sprouts, but sprouts covered in like bacon. Yeah. That was good. See, I say I don't like them. I've never tried them. I'm being a child.

I don't like it. Yeah, but you know when you look at something and think, I really think I want to like them because they look nice. Yeah. But you know, the reaction, isn't it? Yeah. Wow. Yeah, no.

There's loads of other bits. I tried most of it. Pigs in blankets is. The one of on Christmas Day. I don't think we had them. What? That is Christmas. Yeah, that's true. Much of stuff, yeah.

But no, it was nice. And like I say, even before we left, we did the Christmas party. And then my n-in-granddad came around and give the boys presents and stuff. So, yeah, it's been very much family. And that's how I feel Christmas should be. Yeah. And we actually bought loads of less presents this year. So obviously, Stantler does his thing.

Yeah. But where is, like, I? I would normally get loads extra for the boys as well. Because we were travelling, I didn't. Yeah. I mean, my mum went to town. Yeah, but like you say, it rains you in a bit off. Yeah, exactly.

I said to my mum and I'm like, you're so lucky that we haven't all our kids at the same time because she'd be broke. Exactly. So she went to town with the boys. We ended up just about being able to get everything back with us. Yeah. But no, it was lovely. And like I say, cases at a really good age where he's really excited about certain things.

And then when he gets it. And appreciative as well, isn't it? It's that. Yeah. It's that. And I, yeah, I'm, so just a question, only because I see this on a video with Christmas, it was like a video when something like when you visit your family, visit your partner's family and they all open their presents at the same time and it's a bit, it was like, I can't explain

what it is, but it's like a video and it's someone basically sitting there in this house full of people and they're all opening presents at the same time and he's just a bit like, you know, like it's all the thought. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So that would, I would probably be like that. Yeah. That's why I'm saying it. Because whether it's the five of us at home or whether it's when everybody's there, everyone, even when we do our, well, no, our seven years, we did do all together, didn't we?

No, I asked seven years. Our secret centre with the kids. Or did we go round? No, we went around one at the time. So that. So I go, even the five of us, on the boxing day and everything. I just like, we like to go around and really take the time to. Yeah. Otherwise it's over too quick. Yeah. Yeah. No, I think, I think when I was a kid, we all opened all at the same time. Well, there was only two of us, so I think we could just, yeah. To be honest. But you know, but your mom was just open it all. Yeah, yeah. No, I think, yeah, as kids, we opened everything. And also, as kids, our presents under the tree, like, grew and grew and grew and grew leading up to Christmas. So we could see, like, the boxes and stuff. And it was like, that's got my name on it. So that's very different to, like, Liam, because he, there's nothing under the tree until Christmas morning.

Right. I do like that. The suspense and, yeah. No, no, seeing, yeah, like seeing a name on a present. Yeah, like, oh, that's a big one. That's for me, that is. So we do it all between us. So I was in there coming, oh, I just see my name on that one.

Or I'd go to my sister and I was like, don't look that one. That one's yours or, you know, like that sort of thing. So as a kid, we'd be definitely open it all at the same time. And obviously, we've only had Kaysen. So he's generally opened it. But yeah, and even the Christmas just gone, Hayden wasn't really that fuss. So it's only really Kaysen that had presents. We decided as adults we weren't doing it this year.

But I think at least in the future years we'll do. like a secret centre at least. Yeah. And do it one by one. Because yeah, a lot of us like, especially like me and Rick, we love buying presents. I don't think probably Sean and Connor that bothered. But me and Rick love buying people presents. So I would like to.

You're like my sister. I am normally the one who buys presents anyway. But normally I'd get presents even if other people aren't getting me presents. But this year they were like, no, we're not doing it. And then I was like, to be fair, we're travelling and stuff now. Thank you. It's fine. Yeah.

But yeah. It is nice. I have to be. Don't get me wrong. When you're there and you've only got... When I've got a good idea, it really stresses me out if I haven't got a really good idea.

There's certain people, like Liam's dad's really hard to buy for, I think. Whereas everyone else is pretty easy to buy for. There's always one or two pieces of the family. My mum's quite hard to buy for it, actually. This is where the challenge comes in because of the seven euro for us. Yeah.

Because you can just go and buy anything, really, couldn't you? Do you know what I mean? But really finding bits of... So, for example, I'll give an example, for my father-in-law, I got him It's this

It's like four euro It's like a watch So they play padden And just one day He mentioned that they never They all argue or debate Over what the points is Because they never can remember

Whose turn it is Or whatever the words are And paddle right So it's like this watch That's a point system So you can That's so smart That four euro

But then I've still got Three euro to spend on him So I bought him What else did I get him A couple of his favourite Chocolate Bar Nice. And, you know, the bits and bobs like that.

But it's that. It's little things like that that you just put together, you know. That's like to say, when you've got a really good, like you know that's going to go down really well. But I wasn't looking for that. You just came across it. I was like, that's brilliant. Yeah. You know what I mean?

Yeah, what's more annoying is when you've only got like a euro and you just, oh, I really want to find something. And then you just spent, say, I don't know, three euros. I'm something that, oh my God, I could have got like, three. Like, you know, like some things are just like a euro and they're amazing. and something's like three-year-old and then nothing, you know? But it is. I do love it. It's absolutely.

And that's what Christmas is about. They're the memories that we come in with all different people. Because like I say, it's harder to find that gift. So it's actually more like, oh my God. I love that. And it is. It's lovely. I wait every year.

If I don't get a book every year, I'm like, oh, I've got no. Yeah, I need a diary and a book and I've waited for this. It is. I just love it. It is really, really good. So would you ever consider going a book? away being on holiday for Christmas? I have been.

We went before, we was in Disneyland for one Christmas where Lexi and my niece was young. I can't remember now, but they were young. She was walking. Yeah, about two or something. Yeah, but they were young, you know? And don't get me wrong, obviously, it was magical.

It was amazing. Dada, da, da, da, da, da. We could have done it at any time. And to be fair, it was so lovely. but I could have been at home and then did that another time. You know what I mean? I don't get it,

I would never change it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. As, because it was actually on Christmas day. I don't know it was amazing, but just taking into account, you know, what moms and dads have to do with traveling and things like that. Yeah, in that season, it's very, very difficult. Yeah.

And it's worth it. Of course, it's worth it. It's all amazing. But I think if I... You wouldn't make a habit of going away. Yeah, I've done it once. And I don't think I'd want to be away again on Christmas. Maybe when I'm older now, when I'm older and the kids are older,

I wouldn't mind waking up in the Bahamas and having that kind of a Christmas day. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But because they are young at the minute, oh, but I'm a bit in between, I know of mine. Yeah. I just want to embrace that as much as I can. So maybe, yeah, when they're a little... Well, obviously, Mason, be old. But maybe when the others are teenagers.

Yeah, I just feel... To be fair, my... My mum said that, though, as they get older, you lose that excitement and that magic because, like... Just everything that comes with... Even just, like, Christmas list. Like, they have so many things that they want. Whereas when you get older, it's like, I just want a new phone. Yeah.

And the presence is like... It becomes a bit predictable. There's no excitement. Yeah, it is very, very different. And the presents become smaller because they become more expensive. Exactly. It's just, it's just a different stage, you know? So I think for me,

and what Christmas is about, I feel like Christmas brings us back, or not bringing us back, because it was before that, but, you know, like how COVID made everyone realize what really matters and what presents is being present. You know, that sort of thing.

I feel like that, most people it did anyway. And I feel like you get back to that over Christmas because, you know, you've got that time off, you know, you get together, you're at home, you can't, you don't have to get change if you don't want to get change. Yeah. And, you know, you just,

I think it depends because it's usually a lot of family stuff, which is great for most people. But some people go quite excessive on the gifts and it is about spending and overspending and stressing out and stuff. And it loses that, I don't know, at the end of it, it's like, it doesn't really matter if you had the perfect dinner and the perfect present. Well, yeah. But people do get lost in that. But that's where I stay in my bubble. Like you say, I think you've got that good balance. Yeah, but I stay in my bubble because if you do,

look at posts and this, that and the other, you'd think, fucking hell, you know? And you can't think like that. It wouldn't matter to, well, it probably would have, but it wouldn't really have mattered, you know, if there was nothing under that tree because we're together and we're all happy. Do you know what's weird?

I think even some of their old games were coming out on Christmas Day. Yeah. You know, which is just because they know that we're together and we're present and we can actually play a game and be there together and, you know what I mean? I'm looking forward to get, like, in a couple of years' time when, like, Yeah, but you're at a different stage. When we can do the games and stuff,

it was too chaotic for us to do games. We did a little bit of games, some quick games. My mum got a case in a couple of games, which were quite easy to play. I smarter than a box of rocks or something. There was a one that was quite easy to do. And we got like snap and the memory games and, yeah,

the standard things, which was good. But they are, I just, that for me is what it's about. And that's all they want is your time and your presents, you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Definitely. So yeah, and I went to, I went to before Christmas as well. We went to this musical, didn't we and me and Lexi,

at Benadorn Palace. We went to this K-pop musical. Yes, yes, yes. It was the day we left because otherwise we obviously would have been there. It was good. Lexi loved it and all the girls and boys loved it. I'm just going to make a little comment. I personally think that in a musical,

the performers should be able to sing. They're not singing? They wasn't singing. They had a microphone to talk. So when they were talking, you know, doing a different scene. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But when it came to singing, they didn't sing. And it really annoyed me because it's a musical.

It's a musical, but it is also like their specific voices. I know, I get it. I get it, but I would have expected them to sing. And it may just show how I haven't been to a musical or a play or show in a long, long, long time. because all the backdrop was digital. Wow. Yeah. So you know, like, this might be just maybe some well old school now.

So you know like, oh, cut scene, curtains closed. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it's a new scene. Yeah. No, it was just flicking. Yeah. Wow. That annoyed me.

I just felt really old. Like, this was in myself, by the well. I was always having a fab time. It was fat. It was just little things for me. I was like, oh, that's not like, I think it's because I probably had this, I imagine. It's because some of the stuff's nostalgic, isn't it?

Even when me and Liam were in London, like we never went to Portsmouth. We were in Sandbaks and we went to London. But the day that we were in London, my mum had drove with my dad and Kaysen and Hayden down to Portsmouth. And my dad looked after Hayden, but my mum took Kaysen to a pantomime in our local theatre. The same place that he watched Charlie in the Chocolate Factory.

He got the golden ticket, didn't he? for Hayden's baby shower. So yeah, he went to a pantomime, which was Aladdin, and it was so good because one of my mum's best friend since she was really young works there.

She got them to give Kaysen a shout out. So he was like, you know, hi to Kaysen from Spain and Tony was there with her girls because I only realised to that night. Yeah, my goddoy. I only realised that evening. She posted pictures.

And I went, were you there today? I was like, did you hear Kaysen's shower? And I was like, I wasn't there, so I didn't get to see them. But yeah, that was really nice. But that's a proper theatre. Yeah. So maybe that's because I imagined it like that. Yeah. I was not a little bit disappointed.

I know what you mean. You know? Well, my mum's taking Kason to that same theatre for K-pop in February. So that was one of his presence. So I don't know if it's going to be a similar thing to you, whether that's just the stage. Or if it's actually going to be. Or if they're going to have. Yeah.

Because I think it's only one day. So they can't have all the stage. Deny stuff. But yeah. It was just very different to me. To be confirmed if they're going to sing. But I get what you mean. It was obviously different experience to me for me.

And obviously, you know, when you imagine something. I don't get about, it was amazing. I would have imagined them to sing. Yeah. So the kids were, Lexi was happy. There was a bit where she was sitting down and I felt like all the kids were sitting down. I was thinking, no, no, get up. Stand and up and dance.

You know, get up and dance. She was like, I've got no room. Go over the balcony. I remember actually. When I went to, when me and Liam were in Vegas, we went, we booked a Michael Jackson show. And I did, it was the opposite. I expected him to just dance and not sing a mouth it.

But he sang and it was like, wow. So yeah, it is funny. So you've got to make the most of, yeah. What did make me laugh is Lexi's, um, is a very loud person anyway, isn't she? But she's a very loud clapper. Very, very loud. So weird that you say that. So what she was doing like every scene was only like 10, 20 seconds.

Yeah. You know, like when this digital scene was changing. But next to every scene, you know, was only like 10, 20. But Lexi was clacking on every scene. And then she was making it. So obviously everyone joined in with the clap. So it was like, first scene, finish. Yeah.

Second feet. Lexi paid to get it. I was like, you haven't got a clap on every scene. It's funny you say that because I'm a loud clapper and I didn't realize to, I think Liam said it when. You're in the comedy club when you said. Even before when we went to Kaysen's show and I'm like, and he's like, why are you clapping so loud? And I'm like, because I obviously cup a little bit and it's really loud. So yeah, me and Lexi are loud.

You'd be the clappers. She does it on the plane. and everything she tries to start the clap off on the plane it's so funny and one more thing why we're talking about christmas do you know what i'm not gonna like i keep forgetting because it just so much yeah it just happened and it was like whoa and then boxing day carried on so my my mother and my father-in-law and my sister and my brother-in-law got me and Mitch a mini moon to amsterdam oh yeah how nice obviously our ceremony is in april so yeah We're going in May.

Oh. And it's really nice because we were actually talking about Amsterdam as well. I was going to say we were talking about Amsterdam. So yeah, we're going there. It's only a weekend. Oh, that's lovely. But yeah, I'm really excited. Really, really excited actually.

Well, if they hadn't, I don't think you would have actually done anything. No, probably not. I'm still unbooked my... That's what I mean. Like, you've still got a lot that you still need booking that that would have took like no... My uncle even rang my mom the other day like, does Charlotte out anywhere? You know? She's like, no. She's in spades.

That's all I can tell you. Might be in the garden. I'm sorry. Oh, that's lovely. Yeah, so, and that was a little bit of a realisation as well. Like, May. Yeah. Shit.

Like, I've got a lot. We've got a lot to get done. We're also going away in March. I know, I know. So, yeah. Yeah. It's coming around really quickly, actually. And, yeah, it was, I can't remember what day it was, but while we were in England,

we all booked a family holidays to go to Ibitha first week of June. So that would be nearly. nearly Hayden's second birthday. And actually, like say, when you start thinking about it, I feel like this year... It's really in the loop. Oh, God, yeah. And now already I'm like, oh my God, that's there, that's there, that's there. Oh, crap.

We're going to have a cry again now. Right, yeah, we're going to go now and have an anxiety, panic attack. Just realise how much more we've got to do. Yeah, let's get our lists out and let's get organising. But no, thanks for joining for another week and hearing all about our Christmas festivities. Yeah, we hope you all had... It's been lovely. Yeah, we hope you had a lovely festive season.

Great time. Whoever, because there is people out there who it's not a happy time for. No. You know? So we're here talking about family and it's great and it's that. And it's actually a time for some people that's not a happy time. Yeah. You know?

So you're not alone and there's people out there you can talk to, you know? Yeah. So don't be alone. It's about being being together. Being together. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, we lost someone in our family in end of September.

which was really unexpected and they were young and yeah just it's not nice so reflective even though it was caused us to all get together for Christmas which obviously was something that came out of it it's still sad when you're going through them first kind of celebrations without someone it feels like you shouldn't celebrate in a way yeah if you kind of feel a bit wrong for having a good time but would they want you to be miserable no they and it's bringing you together and we can all be sad together yeah At least we're together. And like I say, a lot of that people we were with on Christmas Day,

we haven't been together on Christmas Day. I can't even tell you when. But they were the memories of growing up when we was all together. And we were at my and granddad's house. There was loads of us and it was chaotic and mad. And like you say, it brought it all bad. It's just a little bit of an effort. Yeah.

You know, but some people don't have families or families that they talk to. But you've got your everyday people or your work people. or, you know what I mean? Yeah. Anything. Therapy, anything. There's always someone to talk to. So definitely don't be alone.

But a Merry Christmas to everybody. Yes. You filthy animal. And a happy new year.