Christmas - the very word conjures a whole host of thoughts, memories, excitements and meanings, delicately nuanced and personal.
From the very first mince pie to that last delicious slice of Christmas cake, the roasting of bird and beast, the gathering of sauces and chutneys, the oranges for their Christmas stockings, the walnuts and Brazil nuts, the chocolates and Turkish Delight....and the Christmas Pudding with silver charms or small coins wrapped in silver foil, to be found by excited children and adult alike, of yesterday's memory and custom. Even with today's enticing array of commercial and artisan puddings readily available, it is still a custom to make your own favoured family recipe, to dig deep into family archives for Aunt Margaret's old Christmas book, to view the creations of yesterday, possibly adapting an ancient recipe, a contemporary creation to evoke new memories for tomorrow, linking past to present to future generations for their memories, still to crystallise and ferment.
We personally keep a very simple Christmas season, joining in with other family celebrations for the big day, while kith and kin reach out to other connections, other gatherings we are not privy too. This is not the sadness it appears to be, for we have hosted our own family gatherations and parties, slaved away in our own kitchens, produced annual repasts of splendid proportions and enjoyed the ritual of remembered activities such as mince pies and carrots for Rudolf and his reindeer friends, a glass of liquid refreshment for Father Christmas...... Putting up the Christmas stockings, piling up the parcels beneath a brightly decorated tree, with the family fairy on its highest bough.
It's perfectly pleasant to return to ones own fireside, to read, watch an old TV movie, a DVD and luxuriate in the peace and serenity of "loved ones far away" and family duty done. There are so many quiet things to do, walking Alice, family history research on your computer, visiting or Skyping with family far away and, n o matter how simple your own seasonal feasting, there's always more than enough food available to nibble on, knowingly rueful of the after-feasting pitfall. Ah well, we all say, its Christmas time, that once-a-year festival of over-indulgence, jollity and feasting - which we all love, every single minute!!!
So there it is - Christmas - that wonderful season for family, feasting, presents and world-wide goodwill....
Enjoy!
Daisy
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