On Christmas Eve ...

When our children were little we always drove into North Wales on Christmas Eve. It was a good ploy to get them out out of the house to contain the mounting excitement. We usually did a walk up to Cwm Idwal in the Nant Ffrancon valley. If we were lucky we might be rewarded with a sprinkling of snow!

We were delighted this year when our grown up children asked to go there again....

Of course, we were expecting snow but we were staggered to see just how much there was. It was positively Alpine ... thankfully we were all suitably dressed for the conditions.

The tables have been turned as our son led the way and had to wait for us to catch up ... when he was small he was the world's worst walker and could never keep up with his sister.

But this time he did have some extra help.... Inca pulled him all the way up!

Inca had a wonderful time, leaping around in the deep snow ... pure joy!

On our way home we dropped into Betwys-y-Coed ...

It was just stunning .... we have never seen conditions like this in all the years we've been going there.

Later, hot chocolates were eagerly consumed in this ice covered hotel.

It's not often the four of us get a chance to spend a whole day together ...

It was a perfect way to celebrate Christmas ... better than the presents, better than the food and drink,

just time with our family!