Home for the holidays, and I believe I've missed each and every face...

...Come on and play my music,

Let's turn on the love light in the place,

It's time I found myself

Totally surrounded in your circles

Oh, my friends...

Please, celebrate me home,

Give me a number,

Please, celebrate me home

Play me one more song,

That I'll always remember,

And I can recall

Whenever I find myself too all alone,

I can sing me home...

Well I'm finally here,

But I'm bound to roam,

Come on, celebrate me home,

Please, celebrate me home...

-Kenny Loggins, "Celebrate Me Home"

Merry Christmas to every one of you, darling readers - I'm wishing you a season full of sparkles and crumbs, champagne and stuffed-to-the-brim stockings, and - most of all - love and love and more love.

Saluti!

Love, ribbons and the last door on the Advent calendar xxx

"Alright, if the borders are closed... then we'll drive up into the hills and go over the mountains on foot."

Buongiorno, my strawberries dipped in sugar!

It's time to share, sweet things: who was your first childhood hero?

I'm still a little bit in love with mine [since 1995]...

CAPTAIN VON TRAPP!

He sings [Edelweiss]! He dances [the Lentler]! He whipsaws his opponents with witty put downs ["You flatter me, Captain." "How clumsy of me - I meant to accuse you."]! He wrestles guns from the hands of treacherous Nazis! He carries small children over the mountains to freedom! He looks sharp in a naval uniform!

BAM!

Christopher Plummer on the real Maria von Trapp:

"She came at me and said: 'Ho ho ho, Christopher, you is so much more handsome than my husband,' so I adored her for that."

That's it - my plans for tonight are postponed. Time to snuggle under the covers with a mug of hot cocoa and Irish cream, and watch The Sound Of Music!

Love, raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens xxx

A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight, walking in a winter wonderland

Lee Pace for Tiffany's... Possibly the most magical Christmas advert I've ever seen!

Love, mistletoe and diamonds xxx

I've been trying to get down to the heart of the matter, but my will gets weak, and my thoughts seem to scatter...

...But I think it's about forgiveness,

Forgiveness."

-India Arie

Ola, chicas! Happy December!

I cannot describe this feeling of relief . That moment of clarity when I realised all my anger had vanished, gone without a trace; there wasn't even any left behind to let go of, and I could just forgive. It felt so good!

"You might understand the intellectual concept of forgiveness, but you will only learn how to truly forgive when someone has done something that requires you to love them and let it go."

-Jackson Kiddard

The Boy told me the truest thing: "You have to forgive me, or it's not going to work." Let your love be stronger than your resentment, honeybuns. Realise you want to hold onto the person who really matters more than you do your wounded pride or your hurt.

"The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive."

-John Green

And staying means you have to forgive.

It's December, darlings! Christmas time again. Time for long walks wrapped up warm against the snow, for snuggling by the bonfire, for hot chocolate and presents under the tree. Time for a fresh start, and to fall in love all over again.

Love, marshmallows and gingerbread house kits xx