I feel kind of safe and cosy knowing there are people going about mundane little daily things like watching tv, having a cup of tea, ironing etc. Like the world is ticking over as it always has and things are ok. Comfort in familiarity maybe?
Lots of little vignettes of Christmas evening; families bloated on the sofa with paper crowns askew, three generations eating cheese together, a party, an argument, coloured lights and drooping paper chains.
I love both these images (you could both be writers, Enid and Uterus). I think it's a spontaneous human reflex, to look at other people and it's almost impossible not to when you see lights on curtains open. I used to live in a house opposite a bus stop when I was a student and without fail, day or night, when the bus stopped, everyone on the top deck would automatically swivel their heads towards our house. It was uncanny. I think if you say you don't do it, it's not because you're not interested, you are just making yourself not do it because you think it's rude.
I love it. Near where my parents live there's a street of lovely old village houses and at Christmas they are all decorated beautifully and kindly leave their curtains open and the Christmas lights on so us commoners can go and have a misty eyed look. 4pm in December is the best time to go gawping, lights are on but it feels too early to close the curtains.