Norah Casey Instagram – Of course as we go through life Christmas also reminds us of absences, the family and loved ones we miss, those who have gone and those who can’t be with us. Like many people I have certainly been through difficult Christmases and it takes time to rediscover the wonderfulness. And I’m always late putting up the tree… but I get there eventually 😅 When I was growing up the tree didn’t go up until Christmas week. It was all about the excitement and anticipation. And thankfully the pre-Christmas flutters were mercifully short, starting when the school bell signalled the start of the holidays and we raced home to help put up the tree, just days before the big day. My dad brought down the biscuit tin filled with tinsel and home made decorations by the Casey kids. It also held a very important list… and it wasn’t Santy’s! My dad #harrycasey wrote down the price of the pint every Christmas and he ceremoniously filled in the cost bemoaning the tragedy of Guinness inflation while we fought over who would place the star on the top of the tree. Mostly our home was filled with holly and fir from the Phoenix Park and we had our own reindeer waiting patiently on those frosty days for Santy to collect them on Christmas Eve. What could be more magical. I like reusing those lovely treasured pieces from over the years that remind me of Dara’s first Christmas, the trip to London when myself and a great friend bought some (far too high-priced) baubles in Harrods, the now very chipped, but rich with memories, crib and bits and bobs that we collected on holidays. I take them all up from the basement and mix them up a bit so every year the house looks different. Last year I splashed out on some green tree decorations to mix in with the mainly white and gold that I have collected for decades. It is always beautiful to me and yours will be the same, however you choose to transform your home for the festive season… Christmas Trees are #memorytrees🎄 💚