• Put the kettle on, Bernie, I’m wrecked. The shops are mayhem out there.
• Why are people buying so much? Where are they putting it all?
• They’re like lunatics. You’d swear there was a food shortage.
• It’s the same every Christmas. People just go mad.
• Sure you were the worst. Buying tins of Roses in September. Scoffing them before Hallowe’en.
• But I’m just not feeling it this year, Julie. I just can’t be arsed.
• Ah, I know. It’s a sad time of year when you’ve lost loved ones. Don’t be hard on yourself. Just take it day by day.
• I’m trying, but I just can’t get in the Christmas spirit.
• You don’t have to be Mrs. Claus. The world won’t end if you haven’t got twenty five selection boxes on top of your wardrobe.
• Ah but I’ll have to buy them for the kids. I feel like the Grinch this year. I haven’t as much as a pair of socks bought. I’d normally have all my presents wrapped by now.
• You’ve loads of time, Bernie. Christmas is tough for a lot of people. You’re not on your own.
• I’m trying to get in the mood, just for the kids, you know. They keep asking me why I haven’t put the tree up yet.
• What did yuou tell them?
• I blamed Jimmy. Said I was waiting for him to take it down from the attic.
• Poor Jim. He gets blamed for everything.
• Well, to be fair. He didn’t offer to go up and take it down.
• You know he always waits for you to get the Christmas ball rolling. Just ask him.
• I will later, maybe.
• Don’t be stressing over a Christmas tree. You still have two weeks left.
• Two weeks? Is that all? Feck sake. I always put it up on the first of December.
• And it’s pissing you off by St. Stephen’s day, and you can’t wait to take it down.
• I know. Sorry for moaning, Jules. I’ll be grand once I get started. It’s just tough remembering all the Christmases with ma. She loved Christmas.
• And she’s the very one who’d want you to be enjoying it still. You did great the last two years.
• The first year I was in shock. Last year, I just blanked everything and ploughed through the days. For some reason, this year feels worse.
• Grief has no time limit, Ber. Everyone feels it differently.
• I just feel that people think I should be over it by now, but I’m not.
• Fuck people. You never worried about what other people thought, and neither did Maisie. And I’ll tell you something. You’ll never be over it. You never get over losing your ma. No matter how old you are. No matter how long she’s gone. You just have to learn to live without her.
• Thanks, Julie. You always understand. I know how much you still miss your own ma. I’m sorry for being a miserable bitch.
• Sure, I’m well used to you being a miserable bitch.
• And a happy Christmas to you too.
• Come on Ber, I’ll help you drag that tree from the attic.
• Feck the tree, are those mince pies I see in your bag?
• You never miss a thing Bernie.
• I’ll put the kettle on again. Tea or coffee?
• Coffee, with a drop of Baileys, maybe?
• Now you’re talking.
• A drop of Christmas spirit, then we’ll get the tree.
• It’s beginning to look a lot like…
• Like I’m not getting into that attic. Jimmy will do it when he gets home.
• Deck the halls Bernie.

It’s time to step into Christmas…