It feels like Christmas was a lifetime ago now, but I still have a couple of festive posts to share that I haven't yet had the chance to blog. Today, I'm going to share some snippets from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
I've actually been trying to put this post together all month, but my laptop screen is broken (and some idiot didn't buy laptop insurance) and it's making it difficult to edit photos because the screen is dark and I can't see what I'm doing. I suck at photo editing at the best of times, so I'll apologise now for how atrocious today's photos will look. Just pretend it's 2012, and everybody still posts whatever dark, grainy photos their camera phones can take! That's probably what they're going to look like... haha!
I had a lovely Christmas at home with my immediate family and the dogs. My sister and brother-in-law came home from Germany for the week with their dog, Mia, and it was lovely to have the six of us, plus our pets, together for the holidays again.
On Christmas Eve, my family would usually go to my Auntie's Christmas Eve party, but she decided not to throw it this Christmas as nobody really felt like celebrating after losing my cousin to cancer in late November, and with my Uncle's parents both ill in hospital. Instead, we spent Christmas Eve at home for a change, just the six of us, and it was lovely.
Marie and I popped in to town around lunch time so she could finish off her Christmas shopping and pick up some last minute supplies from the supermarket, and then came home to enjoy the rest of the day. We basically all ended up vegging in front of the TV watching The Snowman, The Snowman and the Snow Dog, and The Muppets Christmas Carol together, and spent the early evening grazing on a buffet my Mum had put together. Later in the evening, I wrapped up the last few presents I'd picked up that day, got in my new festive PJs, and watched The Vicar of Dibley's Christmas Lunch Incident with my sister, Sarah from my bed. There's always a festive Vicar of Dibley episode on BBC1 on Christmas Eve night, and it's become a tradition for us to watch it every year. It never gets old.
On Christmas morning, my Mum decided to drag my sister and I out of bed at quarter past seven (excited much, Susan?), apparently more eager to start Christmas than we were. It's amusing when you get to an age when your parents are more excited about Christmas morning than you are; she's been like it for years! I still love waking up on Christmas, but I kinda miss that childhood desperation for Christmas to begin at three in the morning, and the Christmas Eve agony when every second 'til Christmas morning felt like a millennium. Childhood Christmases were so magical.
I sleepily gathered together all the presents I'd kept under my tree for my family, carefully wrapped in Cath Kidston paper, ribbons, pom poms, and jingle bells this Christmas, and made my way downstairs to find my other sister and brother-in-law had already arrived for the day from their hotel. Apparently my family are allergic to sleep.
My wonky Christmas tree swamped with presents awaiting Christmas morning.
My Mum had laid out presents for us on the sofas, like she's done every year since we were kids. I got some gorgeous Tarte make up and make up brushes, and lots of other lovely things which I'll give you a peek at in a 'what I got for Christmas' post soon. My parents always give us a chocolate orange and a can of Pringles at Christmas; it's been a tradition since we were little.
With six of us and two dogs in our tiny living room, there was no room to swing a cat (not that I would ever swing a cat, you understand), so I couldn't organise pretty photos; what you see is my real, uncurated Christmas.
After I'd opened presents from my parents, my sister, Sarah, eagerly waited for me to open presents from her. She thoughtfully gave me a couple of awesome novelty bags from Forever 21, pouches from Cath Kidston, and a large Disney Store Elliot the dragon teddy, from Pete's Dragon, which was one of my favourite Disneys growing up.
My older sister, Marie, and brother-in-law, Steve, gave me an assortment of lovely goodies. I got a set of Christmas Yankee Candle votives, DKNY perfume, a couple of necklaces, and German chocolates and toiletries. I was spoiled rotten.
Once everyone had opened all their presents, we were able to let Rosie back out of her crate, and it was her turn to open presents. She was so excited, she climbed head first in to the giant gift bag to get to them! It was hilarious. She had so much fun ripping open the paper, and liberating her new toys and treats. She loves opening presents, so she was one happy puplet.
Marie bought her a bandana and a Christmas tree hair band from Accessorize for Christmas, so I wasted no time in dressing Rosie up in them. Her happy little face melted my heart. We tried the hair band on Mia, Marie's German Shepherd, too, but she so wasn't amused. Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo without a family member in the shot, so I can't show you her hilarious expression of disdain and humiliation.
We spent the morning lazily watching Deck The Halls and The Santa Clause while eating croissants and pain au chocolats for breakfast. By eleven, I began setting the table for dinner while my Mum cooked, Dad went to church, and the sister and brother-in-law took the dogs for a walk.
It's been my job to set the table for Christmas dinner since I was little, and in a weird way, I sort of enjoy it... even if none of our stuff matches. If it was my own home, it probably would, but it's my parents dinner table, and nobody gives a shit what the table looks like as long as the food tastes good, because we're just a normal family. We've had the table cloth and table mats for as long as I can remember; they're so retro, and I love it. I added my handmade Christmas crackers to the plates, and popped the table favours I made in to the wine glasses. Once I'd finished, I went and got ready while watching Santa Claus The Movie; the best Christmas movie ever.
We all sat down for our Christmas dinner at 3pm, crammed in to our tiny dining room, and ate roast turkey with all the trimmings, with my Mum's apple pie and my blackberry and apple trifle for dessert. It was the best meal I've had in ages. Marie bought us all silly Christmas hair bands from Accessorize to wear during our meal instead of paper crowns. We looked awesome. There was a mixture of sequined elf and Santa hats, and glittery holly leaves. I went with the latter, as it looked pretty damn cute with my outfit.
After dinner, we all fell in to a food coma in front of the TV (but of course, soon found room for some chocolates), and cuddled up with the dogs. And that's where we stayed for the rest of the day; watching festive TV, grazing, and relaxing. It was lovely. After being subjected to Doctor Who and Strictly, I was in so much pain I had to get myself back to bed, but I was pleased I'd managed to spend a good thirteen hours of Christmas celebrating downstairs with my family. I usually only manage an hour or two out of bed at most. I crawled back in to bed, broke out a heat patch, and spent the rest of Christmas Day watching festive TV in bed, crafting felt gingerbread men (for my garland), and eating turkey sandwiches.
We couldn't put the big tree up this year as Rosie would have destroyed it, so we bought a cheap 5ft artificial tree, and raised it up on to the kitchen island so we could still have one. The family tree always looks like the eighties threw up on it. Don't ask me what was going on with that tinsel as I have no idea! (Seriously, Susan; WTF is that?)
Why do Christmas trees always look so pathetic once all the presents have been opened on Christmas Day??
It might sound like a pretty boring Christmas to you as it was hardly rock 'n' roll, but I had a really lovely Christmas with my family. I was spoiled rotten with presents, ate delicious food, and got to spend some quality time with my family and my dog; what more could anyone ask for? We only ever spend Christmas Day with our immediate family, and a low-key day together suits us perfectly. It's always a relief to finally take it easy after such a busy month preparing for the big day. I'm only sad it was over so quickly.
Christmas Day is always over too quickly.
How did you spend your Christmas?
