The Christmas and the New Year's Eve passed peacefully. For Christmas we had a 'gift opening' morning. 'Santa' was a bit stingy this year as he is trying not to bring anything too big before the move. Still, the pile under the tree was nice. After that, we went for Christmas lunch to our friends' house. We were supposed to be hosting, but there are no public transport in London on Christmas day! Can you believe that?! Absolutely no public transport and no black cabs - no buses, tube, DLR, train or river boats. I would have thought that public transport is an essential service and can't take a day off, but apparently I was wrong. At least, ambulance and police did not take a holiday: with this local trade unionism you never know. Anyway, since there were no public transport, all our car-less friends could not possibly make it to our house. We had to go to theirs' instead. We had a good time.

New Year's Eve we hosted a lunch. Since kids' sleeping routine starts at 6 p.m. all our lunches are exactly that - lunches, where people are warned to leave by 5.30 p.m. Most of our guests went to other 'proper' New Year's Eve parties, and we went to sleep. It must be first New Year's Eve in my conscious life when I slept through the countdown.