The day when everyone, hopefully, receives things they like...

Playlist

The Durutti Column - LC

Various Artists - The Annual 2002 (Ministry of Sound)

Yes - House Of Yes: Live From House Of Blues

Alice Cooper - The Alice Cooper Show

Various Artists - Strangely Strange But Oddly Normal: Island Records 1967-1972

Haydn - Complete Piano Sonatas

Alice Cooper - Raise the Dead : Live From Wacken

Haydn - String Quartets (Complete)

Various Artists - The Annual 2003 (Ministry of Sound)

Reich - Phases

Glenn Gould - Plays Bach

Spock's Beard - Snow

Paul McCartney - Flowers In The Dirt

John Grant - Grey Tickles, Black Pressure

The Clash - Sandinista!

Various Artists - MC Jazz Cafe

Muse - The 2nd Law

Brian Eno - Another Green World

Everything Everything - A Fever Dream

Eels - Hombre Lobo

Laurie Anderson - Bright Red

Brian Eno - Drums Between The Bells

King Crimson - The Elements Of King Crimson: 2016 Tour Box

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Yanqui U.X.O.

Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine

Various Artists - 70s Groove

Miles Davis - Birth Of The Cool

Brian Eno & James - Wah Wah

Yello - Live In Berlin

Sparks - Balls

Gentle Giant - Three Piece Suite

Elbow - Dead In The Boot

The Church - Parallel Universe

John Cale - Fragments Of A Rainy Season [Live]

Dar Williams - Emerald

Various Artists - The Annual 2005 (Ministry of Sound)

King Crimson - Islands [40th Anniversary]

Yes - Tormato

Various Artists - The Best Xmas EP in the World...Ever!

Dolly Parton - Blue Smoke
VArious Artists - The Milano Jukebox 2019

Cosmic Ground - Cosmic Ground 5

Cloudland Blue Quartet - Disquietmusik III

Gentle Giant - Giant For A Day (Remaster)

Various Composers - The Complete Classical Collection

Ingrid Michaelson - It Doesn't Have to Make Sense

The Beatles - Love

Various Artists - The Cruisin' Story 1959

Bobbie Gentry - I'll Never Fall In Love Again: The Best Of

Various Artists - Eurovision 2019

Ori Lichtik - Killer Pig

Neil Young - Sleeps With Angels

Udo Lindenberg - Stärker Als Die Zeit

Various Composers - The Ultimate Baroque Collection

Queen - The Works  (2001. Japan Remastered. Toshiba-EMI)

T Rex - Electric Warrior

Various Composers - Cinema Classics

Bach, C P E - Sinfonien

Herman Van Veen - My Cat And I

Efterklang - Altid Sammen

Up late, around 6:30...

It was Xmas Day...

Which is always good...

Things were ready...

...but the Exec Producer was not...

So I listened to music, read some stuff and had some coffee...

After three hours, we had our breakfast and were ready to roll...

"The Best Xmas EP in the World...Ever!" was lined up and we were off...

We opened things from others first...

My Fopp token from the Secret Santa, which I'd wrapped up again, was reopened...

...along with some nice things from chum Gina, who is mad for Xmas...

The picnics will be saved for the future, if there is anything to celebrate on the diminishing waistline scenario...

Beers from Keith and Maureen - which may be enjoyed on Hogmanay, with chums Lynn and Ross..

Anne received a tasty book from chum Teresa - "Glacier", written by Teresa's brother, a professor of geography...

Then to gifts from within Crispycat Towers...

Chocolate money for your correspondent  - which will join the Picnics in the cupboard for future indulgence...

For Anne, a new painting project, which has yet to arrive from overseas...

For me, a large book on Françoise Hardy, published around 1986 - including some excellent information on her discography - for example, that she released at least 8 LPs entitled merely "Françoise Hardy"... 

For Anne, a book on the almost demise of her favourite football club and how it was brought back from the brink...

The first of a number of boxes of music, the latest in the series which commenced in 2014, of King Crimson tour souvenirs...

...and for Anne, something she likes...

The latest LP from Efterklang, whose music I really started to enjoy this year - they launched this with a concert in Hamburg in September at the Elbphilharmonie - the whole show was up on Youtube for a while but now seems to have disappeared...

More chocolate for Anne...

...and a box of minimalist piano music for me, joining the first 20 volumes, which I already have in two similar boxes...

Last year's series of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" for Anne on DVD...

...and a box of music by the virtuoso pianist responsible for the minimalism above, again this joins an already owned box...

For Anne, some music she likes...

...which, with the Xmas EP now ended, was played...

A five CD box of bootleg material by one of my all time faves, Gentle Giant...

...and, for Anne, the annual Milano Jukebox, an Xmas staple since 1998...

This year it comprises two CDs reflecting various events from throughout the year, compiled by trawling through the thousands of photos taken during 2019...

Then, for me, this...

Chum Sid Smith's updated history of King Crimson - I received the original at Xmas back in 2001...

This is almost twice as long, much having happened re the band in the interim...

Some things to help Anne with her ongoing artistic projects...

Some lounging around trousers for Mr CBQ...

Some batteries for the Exec Producer re her upcoming star prize...

An unexpected delight from the EP for me - personalised plectrums!

...and, last but not least, Anne's new retro radio...

For old school listening...

Once the batteries were in...

...some old school listening took place, before this year's Milano Jukebox soundtracked us tidying things up...

Then, out to my mum's for me, while Anne got herself ready for the rest of the day...

Presents were opened...

A new alarm clock...

A new lamp...

...including a training session...

...and off again...

A photo album of pics from the old days of her children, mainly much missed younger daughter, Pam...

From neighbours and chums, more nice things...

I will return tomorrow with Anne for a trio evening meal - meanwhile upcoming visits from nephew Ali and lovely wife Julie and from sister Sheila and Andrew Snr were expected as I left...

Some resting at home before heading out again, round to Jane and Bobby's for a seven person and a dog Xmas afternoon/evening extravaganza...

Drinks were drunk and presents were exchanged...

A new Hearts related planter for Anne for the garden...

...along with home made chutney and cat tongue chocolates...

Funding for future present buying was also provided by both our mum's...

...and Rafa got something he likes...

Urban Outfitters spending for Kitty, enjoying a Bucks Fizz with some measure of trepidation...

For Olly, we will take him to Queens v Dundee Utd and for a, hopefully victory celebrating, Indian in Biggar on the way back...

A splendid Xmas dinner was served, with seafood related starters...

Kitty didn't like her ear in this shot...

...so this had to be taken too...

Beauty and the beast...

Kitty's nails had to be pictured...

Shocker but at least her ear is covered...

The main course...

...from the new kitchen...

Yumtastic...

Unpictured roulade and meringue based sweets were also enjoyed, followed by biscuits, cheese and House of Games...

...at one point, Jane was in tears with laughing while trying to hum clues...

Your correspondent ended up the winner - without cheating....

And then, around 9:30, time to call it a day...

Buses home one way for Mary, the other way for us...

Followed by relaxing and snoozing, before hitting the sack...

Another excellent Xmas Day...

Merry Xmas...

Highlight of the Day : It was Xmas...