Christmas!

I thought I'd try and get a few posts in before the New Year ... first up is a post with various Christmas photos - decorations, the day etc...

I really didn't feel like 'doing' Christmas in the lead up to it...in fact I was very 'Bah Humbug' but by Christmas Eve, I got into the spirit and actually had a wonderful Christmas Day.  It was busy as I did all the preparation, cooking etc, but worth it.  It was a thoroughly enjoyable day with family.  As usual my Mother in Law and her Partner came round for the main meal, along with our Daughter in Law (Son is away) and our younger son.  In the late afternoon my Aunt and Uncle come round for a buffet type supper.  We had a lot of fun exchanging presents and some good ones were given and received this year.  I will show them in another post.

First up is my lovely Advent Calendar.

The 'new' Christmas float.  It looked fabulous.  This came round early December.

A few decorations started to get put out each day.

A couple of 'new' vintage decorations I found.

Lights in the front garden. 

(My husband also put out a load in the back garden - must take a photo of those!)

Christmas Snowmen

Our little lighted villages.  Sadly this one decided to stop working a couple of days before Christmas.  Guessing the bulbs must have gone.

Some little kitsch deer...I have been collecting these over the last few years.

This plastic one was the latest addition, found in a CS for 10p on Christmas Eve.

I went overboard with the Christmas Trees this year, putting both up (one year we could only put a small one up so ended up with two trees) and also got out all the Christmas teddies and dolls!

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Christmas Day soon dawned...

The Christmas table

The first two are seated - it is a bit of a tight squeeze!

Now there are three...

Sadly our eldest son couldn't be with us this Christmas as he is working on his ship in the South Pacific and was between Australia and New Zealand on Christmas Day.  Last year his wife to be didn't arrive in England on time for Christmas, this year he wasn't here!  Perhaps next year they will get to spend Christmas Day together.

I made my 'traditional' desserts...  Pavlova 

and a fresh fruit salad.

Plus of course Christmas pudding.

In the evening my Aunt and Uncle join us for a light buffet type suffer.

I never eat the evening meal, as always still too full after the main Christmas dinner, which was probably just as well, as by the time everyone else had finished, there was nothing left!  

Hubby took DIL home Boxing Day morning as she had to work in the afternoon, so we have had a quiet time since.  

Christmas Day

Christmas Day has been and gone, and a lovely day was had by all, I was up at dawn to enable it all to happen.

A feast fit for kings!  Turkey, 'pigs in blankets', stuffing balls, Yorkshire puddings, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, carrots, roast potatoes, sweet potatoes and parsnips, gravy and cranberry sauce.

Trying to get a decent photo proved to be a bit hit and miss!

My yearly pavlova was a success and devoured!

Dessert: Fresh fruit salad, Christmas pudding and of course my Pavlova.

Why is it so impossible to get everyone looking at the camera at the same time?

Evening 'tea'.  

New Years Eve!

Here we are about to head into the New Year - I am always hopeful that it will be a good one, Happy and Healthy and this time I am hoping it will be the year that I have less (or even better NO) pain.

Some photos from my garden this week - we have had some lovely frosty days where the blue sky has been prominent but the last few days have been damp and very foggy/misty and as such grey.

Crisp frost still on the ground late in the afternoon.

Water droplets on roses.

It is amazing to still see some of my roses bravely blooming in December!

I haven't posted photos of our Christmas Table yet.

Similar food to last year

The Sailor and his Fiancee were absent this year as they are having to work on their ship.  Our younger son did join us though which was nice.  My Mother in Law and her partner of course always join us for the day.

I made my trusty Pavlova for desert as that has become a traditional part of our Christmas meal and a firm favourite along with the fresh fruit salad I also make.

I almost had a bit of a disaster with the Pav though...in fact I DID have a disaster.  I woke later than intended on Christmas Day - the first Christmas morning we have not had at least one of the boys with us - and got up and turned the oven on to pre-heat it ready for the turkey and forgot the pavlova was in there cooling from the night before!  After some time I smelt something burning - that's right, the pav!  Result = Ruined Pavlova!  So I had to make ANOTHER one!  Fortunately that one turned out okay and although Christmas dinner was slightly later than originally intended all was well.

In the evening my Aunt and Uncle joined us as usual.

We had a bit of a laugh opening presents.  My Uncle is always fun to buy for as he has a hobby and we always try to get him something new for it.

During the week it has been lovely to see the sun shining in on the Christmas Tree and its decorations

Such a cheery sight in the morning with them sparkling in the sunshine.

I am still waiting on my Christmas present from my husband - Amazon let him down this time.  It is a Haley Westenra CD - I guessed from questions he asked me the other week, although I don't know which one.  Seems it has gone missing.

Tomorrow I will be embarking on my Whole30 in the hope that it will help the pain problems.  I am not starting just because it is the New Year, but rather because it is a Monday, the first of a month - so easier to know exactly what day in the 30 Day period it is - and because it is after Christmas and all the celebrations and extra food that come along with it.  If it works and one of the eliminated food groups is what causes or contributes to my pain I will very happily be able to cut that out completely - time will tell and I will know more next month.

Someone looks exhausted!

To all I wish a Very Happy and Healthy New Year, stay safe if you go out and celebrate.