Christmas Day began early for me, but R and M did not wake until 7.30am. Finally, they spy their bulging stockings – ‘He’s been!’
Rushing into R’s bedroom, it is a rip-fest for 15 minutes as the children tear into what Father Christmas has left. This is the first year that M has been so excited about it and fully understood what is going on. P and I eked out our smaller pile of gifts to keep pace. Lots of books in my stocking, along with chocolate ginger, a pair of pink fluffy slippers and the Sex and the City DVD I had asked for.
When this is done, we hasten downstairs to see what else is under the tree. M is so excited by her new dolls pram which Nanny / Father Christmas had given her and R is pleased to have received the Wii games he asked for. They are both happy and grateful.
Dressed in our party best, we sit down together for our choice of Christmas breakfast: Eggs Benedict for P and me, Pain au Chocolat for R and cheesy toast (which is refused and replaced with a yoghurt) for M.
Mid-morning, we pile our gifts into the car and head over to SILs house where the rest if the family have already arrived. We take turns to exchange gifts, including the grown ups' Secret Santa and, again, the children are polite and grateful. I receive a lovely personalised calendar which my BIL made, P is given a book.
At 2pm we sit down at a beautifully-laid table and tuck into succulent turkey, perfectly crisp roast potatoes and MIL’s rich homemade Christmas puddings with my homemade Baileys Ice Cream. The children are put on a separate table, where even R eats a little and then they set up their cousin’s Wii and play together beautifully, leaving us to linger over cheese and port. Everyone wears their party hats without demur and no one is sick.
Replete, and pleasantly tipsy, we don’t leave the table until the pre-booked taxi arrives to take us home. We pile our presents into the car and say our goodbyes. Nothing is forgotten and we leave nothing behind but the children’s polite ‘thank yous’.
Back home, the children are tired out and happy to go to bed. They are asleep within minutes, dreaming of Christmas pleasures, The evening’s TV is rubbish so P and I go to bed early too. A perfect day.
This is the first time for a few years that my Mum and Dad have been at home for Christmas so Boxing Day this year was spent with them and Mum's family, just as it was when I was a child.
We are all (quite) a bit older, but the routine was exactly the same as it used to be:
Finally, look what 3-year old M created while I was catching up with these JYC pages:
She's getting the hang of it.
This is the first time for a few years that my Mum and Dad have been at home for Christmas so Boxing Day this year was spent with them and Mum's family, just as it was when I was a child.
We are all (quite) a bit older, but the routine was exactly the same as it used to be:
- Cold turkey
- bubbe and squeak
- board games and quizzes
- trifle
- not enough chairs
- no TV allowed
- pickled walnuts (yuk, not for me!)
Finally, look what 3-year old M created while I was catching up with these JYC pages:
She's getting the hang of it.
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