I know it's only August but....

Yes world.

I DID start thinking about the festive season today….. just a little bit… and just for a nano-second. But, for that brief and beautiful moment, there was a Christmas song on my lips, a bounce in my step, and a vision of wonderful things to be baked in my heart.

There was also the promise of Christmas in July after Space Girl gave THIS to me. And she gave it to me in the new year after all of the festive paraphernalia had been put away. So instead of being tucked out of sight, it taunts me daily from a shelf in the bedroom with promises of chocolate fondue. Yes gentle reader, you have guessed correctly. This is a SANTA FONDUE POT.

You put the chocolate in his head, where it tumbles down into his belly to be warmed into a melty chocolately bliss by the fondue flame. You place the items to be fondued onto little Christmas tree skewers.

I am so giddy with anticipation, and I can hardly STAND IT!!! Please don’t hang up on me. I won’t trot out the festive season for months. I just needed to let you know that it had popped into my mind today.

These thoughts were exacerbated by the fact that Mister Man brought me this in lieu of flowers (because I wasn't feeling well yesterday and he knew it would bring a smile to my face).

As I started thumbing through the pages, I had this fantasy moment in which the mums and I were sitting across from each other at our table, attempting to turn an everyday cupcake into a festive decorative masterpiece. And I found myself filled with a nostalgic longing.