Christmas Reflections, Food and Presents

And like that it is over!  I hope everyone had a great Christmas and a relaxing break.  Our Christmas was two days of festive mayhem, family get-togethers and feasting.

Sylvia was agog with excitment on Christmas Eve.  We let her stay up and see some of the Carols by Candlelight on the telly.  She loved it even though they don't do much in the way of traditional songs early in the night.

Then with spiced ginger beer and a chocolate mince tart left out for Santa, she dropped quickly to sleep.

Meanwhile I was giftwrapping some last minute foodie gifts as I continued to watch the Carols.  French lavender salt and some apricot, nectarine and vanilla jam (that I will write about later).

Sylvia woke me at some ungodly hour to tell me what Santa had brought her.  Fortunately we both went back to sleep.

In the morning we opened presents and had cranberry nut rolls with jarlsberg cheese for breakfast before heading down to my parents house in Geelong for more presents and food.

My mum had some fancy cucumber boats with hummus and carrot for canapes.  My dad and his many helpers handed out presents.  Mostly accurately.  My brother Dave accidentally opened a present that was meant for my nephew Dash!  Oops!

I loved some quirky gift tags.  Sylvia got one with chocolate in it and one that was actually made out of a candy cane cookie cutter.

Sylvia had been asking for a Frozen doll all December.  Yet it was the hairdresser head and the blue ukelele that she really loved.

Here is my Christmas dinner.  I made nut roast as usual and had lots of vegies.  Mum almost forgot the cauliflower cheese.  I was glad she didn't!  She also made a delicious sangria to drink with dinner.

Sylvia managed a mouthful of nut roast.  Her preference is for the roast potatoes.  But most of all she loves mum's pavolva.  When it came to dessert I had to have pudding with custard and some caramel tart.

Most of my siblings were off to in-laws after lunch and we relaxed.  By evening we were still full and just snacked on some leftovers.

One of the difficulties of celebrating Christmas in Australia is trying to enjoy the lights when the sun doesn't set until almost 9pm.  Geelong has pulled all stops out with Christmas lights this year.  My dad took us out at about 8.30 to try and see lights before Sylvia was too tired.  It was too light.  And it was raining.  D'oh!

We were determined to see the lights and stood under our umbrellas to watch the light show on the Geelong Town Hall.  It is spectacular with kangaroos bouncing, fireplace, candles, art deco, snowflakes, Christmas trees, candy, and a gingerbread house.  It went so long it was dark by the time it finished.  Sylvia was cold and tired by the end and dropped off quickly when we got home.

On Boxing Day my dad's family came over and we had more food and presents.  Quiche and salads and roast potatoes.  Dessert was more caramel tart, pavlova, mince pies, panforte, stollen, and cheesecake.  I was so full I didn't get to try my mum's Christmas fruit cake after dinner.

Here is the panforte and stollen.  My mum sent us home with lots of leftovers.

Here are just some of the presents we all received.  You can see we were well and truly spoilt.  And we have lots of reading and DVDs to enjoy.  And I am curious to try Sylvia's new ice cream maker.

Today is a quiet day to relax after all the festive craziness.  While I write this E and Sylvia are watching Santa versus the Martians and eating Pringles crisps.  Yet is is just that sort of day!