Ready for Christmas Day breakfast.
After all the extreme weather earlier in the month, a typically mild day although tbh I didn't step outside.
The traditional Christmas Day breakfast of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs with a bottle of champagne. Mum was disappointed that the foxes didn't make an appearance - probably getting their Christmas breakfast somewhere more generous.
A marathon present opening session followed. Lovely things as always - books (including the two by Carlos Ruiz Zafon to conclude his quadrilogy - not sure if that's a word), perfume, candles, chocolate (I couldn't stop scoffing the dark chocolate-covered ginger ones all afternoon). I think Dave liked his London music books, truffle selection (including gin), stouts and theatre tickets (A Sherlock Carol and To Kill a Mockingbird). Mum also seemed taken with her luxurious faux fur.
We always eat later than normal, more like an early supper so we had plenty of time to get everything ready - especially as I'd cooked the braised cabbage and apple, and assembled the trifle earlier. Menu of maple parsnip and chestnut wellington with roast potatoes and carrots, and broccoli and sprouts.
After yesterday's hissy fit over losing the bits from inside our DIY crackers, I found a YouTube hat-making tutorial and a joke generator. The hats were a triumph and we wore them all evening. The trifle was a bit different this year also. I normally make it with tinned strawberries and raspberries, but Sainsbury's hadn't had them. So I did a more tropical version with tinned mango, peaches and apricots - together with a splash of rum. Truly yummy.
Christmas viewing record
A good one:
- A Christmas Carol: a Ghost Story - adapted by Mark Gatiss for a run at the Nottingham Playhouse - really excellent.
- Ghosts Christmas special - we love Ghosts, sweet and moving as always.
- Catching the last bit of the Inbetweeners Movie while mum watched EastEnders in the kitchen - they were funny.
- Oh and the King's speech of course - think he's picked up the hang of it.
All good things. Christmas at home with family, free from harm.
The hats were a triumph
https://365project.org/boxplayer/extras/2022-12-25
25 December 2022
Walthamstow E17
Ian