Christmas day used to be a lazy day for my mum and I. We would sleep in until mid-morning, eventually get up and take time to open the small bundle of presents which were sat next to the pathetic Christmas tree. It was barely four foot tall and we only ever decorated if we could be bothered.

Once the presents were open, I would help my mum make lunch. It was never anything extravagant, just a roast dinner which was enough for two. There was never any point going all out with a turkey and all the other Christmas dinner extras as we would never be able to eat it.

Afterwards, we would lounge in pyjamas, watching a movie or playing a board game – normally monopoly - before eventually deciding to call it a day and go to bed. It was never much but it was our routine and I loved it. My mum and I would talk about everything and nothing, from colleagues at my mum's work who were annoying to Hollywood stars we would date.

Christmas isn't like that anymore.

Before the sun had even had time to rise, I was up and feeding Erin, a mixture of bottled milk and purified baby mashed up food. All of the mashed up food looks the same to me. When I was halfway through feeding her, I could hear small, dainty footsteps running down the stairs and straight into the kitchen where I am sat.

"Has he been?" Missy excitedly runs around the kitchen table and asks me.

"Who?" Rubbing sleep out of my eyes I ask her.

"Santa silly," she says to me as if it was the most obvious thing. I guess on Christmas morning it is.

"Oh, I guess so. Why don't you go look in the living. I'll join you once I've finished feeding Erin. Don't open anything, just look," I tell her.

I feed Erin her last few spoonful's of the mashed food before wiping her face clean. We join Missy in the living room who is shaking presents in her hands, trying to guess what they are.

"I thought I told you not to touch," I say, sitting Erin up on the sofa.

"Sorry Kwisten," she says, putting the presents down.

Instead she picks up some of Erin's toys off of the floor and brings them onto the sofa, sitting down next to her. I watch as they play, Missy stacking some plastic rings into a pile, waiting for Erin to knock them down. They both play well with one another which is nice to see.

Thirty minutes later, the sun eventually begins to rise and Missy jumps onto her feet.

"When can I open my presents?" she cries, obviously getting impatient.

Tired that the only company I currently have are all five and under, I tell her, "why don't you go and wake everyone up. Once everyone is down then you can open your presents," she hurries off upstairs to wake everyone up.

Within fifteen minutes, everyone is sat huddled around the not-so-pathetic Christmas tree, and the large bundle of presents. We let Missy open her first and I watch as she rips open each present, tossing the wrapping paper all around the room, sometimes landing right next to Erin which she takes into her little fists and plays with. Everything she gets, she squeals with delight as if it's the best present ever.

"Mummy, these ones don't say who they are from," she says, looking carefully at the blank tags.

"Hmm, maybe they are from Santa himself," Mrs Stevens replies to her, a smile creeping onto her face.

"Wow, really?" she asks and her mum nods her head in return.

Eventually she reaches the bottom of her pile, loving everything she has received, even though she never got the pony that she asked for. The rest of us begin to open our presents. I get some pyjamas from my mum, some chocolates from Cory's parents which was nice as I wasn't expecting anything from them, some Lush bath products from my friends and perfume and a top from Cory.

"Oh, there's also this," Cory points out once he has finished opening a present for Erin.

He hands me what appears to be a little box, wrapped up neatly with a bow on top. I search it for a tag to see who it is from and eventually find one.

To Mummy,

Merry Christmas!

Lots of love – Erin xx

The message reads. Carefully I unwrap the present to reveal what looks to be some kind of jewellery box. Slowly I lift the lid up, to show a golden locket sitting there. Gently I take it into my hands to have a better look, feeling the weight of it. I unclip the clasp to see a photo of Erin has already been placed in it.

"Oh wow, it's beautiful," I say, kissing Erin on the head even though she has no idea what is going on.

Cory opens his presents which I got him, a big box of sweets and some aftershave. It takes just over an hour for us to open the presents.

"I'm going to start prepping some of the vegetables for dinner before your Gran comes round," Mrs Stevens says and my mum offers to help her.

"Wait, Gran is coming?" Cory asks, obviously the first he's heard of this.

"Of course, she normally comes every year remember. Obviously last year she didn't because we were too far for her to travel but things are back to normal. It's been over a year since she last saw Cory and she hasn't met Erin yet," she tells him before going into the kitchen.

"That will be nice for you if you haven't seen her in so long," I comment.

"Yeah it will. Just wish I had known because I didn't get her anything,"

"I bet she won't even care. It's about spending time with the family after all," I say to him, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

The next hour is spent playing with some of the toys that Missy has got and watching 'baby tv' for Erin. Something we recently discovered that keeps her quiet. By the end of the hour, the doorbell rings and Mrs Stevens hurry towards it, still with a pot of potatoes in her hands.

"Ma, it is so nice to see you. Merry Christmas," she announces loudly so we all know that 'Gran' has arrived.

"Althea daring, why are you holding a pot of potatoes while answering the door? Dinner will never be made that way. Where are those grandchildren of mine?" she asks, her voice becoming louder as she gets closer to the living room.

Missy jumps onto her feet and runs straight out of the room to greet her gran while Cory just stands up awkwardly.

"Oh Melissa dear it is so good to see you again. Are you having a good Christmas?" I hear her asks.

"Melissa?" I whisper at Cory, confused for a moment.

"Yeah, that's what Missy is short for. Did I never tell you that?" he tells me with a small laugh.

"Obviously not," I mutter but no one hears me as in that moment the spitting image of Mrs Stevens walks into the room.

The only real differences between the two of them is that the elder of the two women has faint grey curls rather than the brunette ones that Mrs Stevens has. Mrs Stevens is slightly taller than her mother but just as round.

"Cory my love, it has been so long," the grey haired woman pulls Cory into a hug before kissing his cheek. "Now where is this great-grandchild that I have heard so much about? Ahh you must Kirsten," she says, eyeing myself and the baby in my arms.

"It's Kristen but yeah," I get up to greet her, showing her Erin as if she is some kind of trophy.

"Never mind that. Pass her over to me; let me get a good look," reluctantly I pass Erin over to her.

After only being in her arms for a few seconds, she soon begins to cry. It starts off as small little sniffles but ends up with tears rolling down her face.

"Pass her here Gran. She's only acting like this because she doesn't know you," Cory tells her, taking his daughter back into his arms.

"Well she would know me if you came back more often," she mutters. "Anyway, I've got presents. Who wants some?" she asks and Missy begins jumping up and down on the spot.

This time, Missy is less enthralled with the gifts she gets this time as it mainly clothes and not dressing up clothes at that. She did get Erin a little dress which should fit in a couple of months' time. That was nice.

Cory's gran keeps asking him questions about his school life and the job that he has. The two of them basically have one big catch up. By noon, Erin begins whining for her dinner so I pick her up so I can feed her in the kitchen.

"Are you having a nice day honey?" my mum asks when she sees me enter the kitchen.

"Yeah, it's been good. Can I just get to the cupboard please?" I ask and she moved out of the way.

I pick up a packet and begin to prepare it before placing Erin into her high chair. She opens her mouth wide for each mouthful of food but still managed to get the orange muck splattered all over her face. Once she has finished, I wipe it all away and begin to take her out of her seat.

"You might as well leave her where she is. Dinner is ready," my mum says, setting the table.

Five minutes later, everyone is sat around the table, Erin to my left and Cory to my right. The turkey is sat in the middle of the table with all the trimmings decorated around it. Everything looks so yummy.

I start piling food onto my plate and smother it all with gravy. It doesn't take me long to finish everything on the plate and then go for seconds.

"That was really nice," I tell Mrs Stevens, wiping my hands on a napkin.

"Thank you Kristen. Does anyone want dessert?" she asks only for everyone to shake their head and say no.

She clears the plates with the help of her husband while Cory takes Erin out her high chair. While we were eating, she must have fallen asleep as her eyes don't even flutter open when he lifts her up. He lays her on the sofa so she can carry on sleeping.

"Does anyone want to go on a walk?" Mr Stevens ask about half an hour after dinner.

"With these legs? I think not. I can barely hobble down the street without my feet being in agony. I'll stay right where I am thank you Brandon." Gran replies, crossing her arms.

"I'm not sure I can be bothered either Dad. I'm too full to walk," Cory replies.

"Fine, we'll sit here and watch telly then,"

"Someone pass around the chocolates," I hear Missy ask, who obviously isn't full.

The rest of the afternoon is spent lounging around, watching telly and eating chocolates even when we are too full to.

"How are you getting home Ma?" Mrs Stevens asks when night starts to fall.

"Trying to get rid of me so soon Althea? If you must know, I will probably get a taxi. I might get one soon, Kirsten looks like she is going to fall asleep any minute now," I hear the old woman say.

I hadn't even realised that my eyes had begun to close and that my head was resting against Cory's shoulder.

"I'll take you back, no need to call a taxi," I hear Mr Stevens say before I close my again.

A few minutes later I hear a chorus of goodbyes followed by the front door creaking opening and shutting.

This Christmas has certainly been different but that doesn't mean I haven't been able to enjoy it.