Wednesday 27 December 2017

And so that was Christmas

Well that came and went all rather quickly. Our celebrations started on Christmas eve with the arrival of my Mum, two eldest sons and partners plus one of their Mums... nine of us here for dinner which was quite modest compared to some years. There was some last minute present wrapping of some homemade Limoncello which I was happy that I'd made, as DPD managed to mess up on a next day delivery that was due on the 19th... it arrived today!


Christmas day was quiet as the eldest boys went on to other places leaving just the three of us and Mum here. Jacob and I had Salmon en Croute but I cooked a turkey crown for Stewart and my Mum. We spoke to Joe in Nicaragua who had just had breakfast and was heading off to the beach, and to James in Australia who was setttling down for the evening having had a warm and sunny Christmas too. It was very relaxed and low key and we only ventured out for dog walks. Someone in our village had added twinkly lights and baubles to a tree in the woods... it really is the little things that make lovely memories.


And talking of dogs Hector amused us all by being very excited to have his own present. He ran off to the kitchen with it (just in case it was a big mistake and we changed our minds)...


and then proudly came back with his new bone toy having very cleverly removed and discarded all the packaging. He was very pleased with himself.


On boxing day we were joined by Stewart's daughter and family and it was lovely to spend time with this gorgeous little chap who really could not see the point of wearing silly hats... nor having to eat sprouts!


He entertained us all on the piano!


So now today it is all over and everyone has gone home. "The weather outside is frightful" as they say so there is no desire to venture out. One cold and slushy dog walk was quite enough for me this morning. There is plenty of left over food to keep us going for a few more days and I'm trying very hard to embrace the down time before the New Year celebrations. To be honest I'm a bit fidgety with no definition to my days but I have been keeping myself occupied with some knitting. It was meant to be a Christmas present but didn't quite get finished in time. Navy blue yarn wasn't my idea but I had sent his grandad out to buy it and told him he could choose the colour, so I couldn't really complain... Well I did when I went wrong for about the fifth time because I couldn't see the blasted stitches.


But I think I have cracked it and I'm looking forward to finishing it off whilst watching the second episodes of both Little Women and The Miniaturist this evening.


As yet and as always the Christmas cake remains untouched and I wonder why I bothered to finish it off late on Saturday evening.... but then it wouldn't be Christmas without these traditions would it. All in all it has been a good few days.
I hope you have had a good one too.

17 comments:

  1. Glad you had a good one Gina...our little one didn't see the point of silly hats either but she did try the sprouts! :)

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  2. Sounds more lively than mine - I was with Mum and Dad both days and a lot of the time I was the only one awake!

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  3. Looks like a fun time. I hate working with dark wool too...so hard if you make a mistake. Always finish my Christmas cake for Christmas Eve but never eat it for a good few days. As you say tradition! B x

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    1. I finally finished the jacket today... can't see any mistakes but that doesn't mean there aren't any!

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  4. That looks and sounds like a fab Christmas. Can't quite believe, after all that preparing and planning, how quickly it comes and goes.

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  5. Your Christmas sounds wonderful, if a little exhausting! I had the laziest time ever - Christmas Day with my son and his family, then Boxing Day with youngest daughter and son-in-law. I was wined and dined and thoroughly spoiled.

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  6. I like the decorated tree in the wood, that must have pleased a lot of people.

    I am with your grandson on hats and sprouts! Also, I really dislike knitting with dark yarn.

    And I agree with your sentiment on the cake!

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  7. Your quiet Christmas was still more lively than ours! Yet again the Child was not 100%, so most of the day it was just the two of us - but she rallied by the evening. I didn’t bother doing a cake this year and N is feeling the lack - squeaking with frustration when I showed him the pic of your cake sitting there untouched!

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  8. I've been revising my commitment to the traditional Christmas Cake too, though I am a huge fan of Christmas Pudding. Our pud recipe is sugar and fat free so perfect for Boxing Day breakfast in my view. Cake wise I went for Nigella's Clementine cake, worth it for the scent in the kitchen, but we would be happy enough without it.

    Really enjoyed indulging in Little Women and The Miniaturist too ...with a few squares of Green and Black's Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate for company!

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    1. I've decided if I make a cake next year it will be a small one!

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  9. I am glad you had a lovely Christmas. It sounds relaxed and happy! I am enjoying the directionless days rather more than I normally would - must be worn out. I am like you normally, I get fidgety quickly. x

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  10. Happy Prosecco-mas! What joy finishing dregs in bottles and that exhausted feeling of "how can everything be simplified next year?!" Lovely to hear all your tales of Christmas newly past and glad there were lasses and fellows coming through your door. I didn't get to make a Christmas cake this year. I thought about it briefly 2 days before Christmas and then the thought passed! Love cake without almond paste and icing, but with a slab of cheese and glass of port in front of the fire. Might just have to go and bake one right this minute..... or maybe not! Hope there is lots of plotting and planning being done with your ever decreasing 60 by 60 list Gina. Thinking of you. Stay cosy. Liz x

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  11. Love the decoration on your cake. I think there would be a mutiny here if I didn't make one !

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  12. We don't do Christmas cake here as I can't eat it and DH professes to not be bothered but he managed to polish off the small Christmas cake that was at our holiday cottage over Christmas. Bah Humbug suits me too. I have lots of telly to catch up with as DH and I like different things and he has to be distracted by his computer while I watch. How lovely to have spent time with the little chap over Christmas. Enjoy the break through to New Year. xx

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  13. I see you have the same knitting book I have. At least I did mine in off-white :D It will look lovely in that colour though. Happy New Year to you and glad you enjoyed your Christmas

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    1. I did get it finished and the navy does look smart even if the cables don't show up. Next time I'll choose the yarn colour!

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