Thursday, December 23, 2010

Merry Christmas from me to you

Work is over for the year, can you hear the yahooing from there?

It's so hot and humid I can hardly think, but I think it's hotter in Sydney and Brissie.

Christmas shopping is all done, the presents are all wrapped and labelled under the tree. Major is in for a lot of surprises this year and there's a lovely box full of goodies waiting for Jade, but I don't know when I'll get to see her. She is in NZ with her maternal grandparents but I don't think her plans include a visit to me this year. I'm trying not to be tragic about it.

Tomorrow morning I intend to be waiting at the supermarket when the doors open for business to pick up all those perishables that couldn't be purchased earlier. Then it will be off to the local butcher who, just like Kel from Kath & Kim, advertises himself as a 'purveyor of fine meat' (and the sign always makes me giggle when I remember that episode when Kath & Kel got a bit carried away out the back of the shop while the line of customers grew longer out front). Anyway I digress, it'll be off to pick up the rolled pork roast, chicken something or others wrapped in bacon and a few other fine meats.

Christmas day won't be a big affair in our house, our guests are arriving on Boxing day so we are planning a fairly laid back day on Saturday.

We'll start with a special breakfast - fresh fruit salad and yogurt sprinkled with Gran Denny's delicious toasted muesli (crunchy granola) then bacon and eggs en croissant. For the first time ever we are embracing the new Kiwi tradition of firing up the BBQ for Christmas dinner! But it's okay we'll do the traditional Roast Pork blah blah on Boxing day (although I am giving some serious thought to rotisserie cooking the pork on the barbie.

I've wrapped a few novelty gifts to put at each place setting for your Boxing day lunch, and got lots of Christmas bits and pieces too. I love Christmas and I love fussing about over it all too. It's a special time celebrating the birth of our Saviour and gathering our loved ones about us. Still trying not to be tragic about Jade.

Anyway somewhere among all this food (that's steeped with family history - the pavlova's just come out of the oven, I'm still using Aunty Nella's recipe and she died nearly 30 years ago and the boysenberry Philly cheesecake that I first tried when I was 15 is about ready to throw together) well somewhere in the midst of all this there'll be games, trips to the beach at the end of our street, a few good movies, lots and lots of laughter and relaxation.

I can hardly wait!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to one and all.

Love