Swagger Inn 152: Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly --and HBFs--

[ApricotCrush]

Tom and Santi are showing the wenches what they have for us for Christmas.

Had a jolly good evening. The highlight was Mr Brightside. Sadly without The Man himself

Night my lovely wenches

DS did not have a lie-in. At all. I have to do last minute Xmas shopping stuff today. On a scale of 1-10 my enthusiasm does not register even 0.

Morning wenches. Feeling okay this morning. It’s very foggy outside though. Just about to head down for breakfast

DS will start to have lie ins eventually Helen. They won’t necessarily be when you want him to though

Glad you had good time Letus

I just finished breakfast, enjoying my extra day off.

How do you celebrate Christmas in the UK? I know you celebrate on Christmas Day and eat mince pies. Anything special on telly you watch? Typical decorations?

We Celebrate on Christmas Eve. For a really traditional Christmas realatives arrive for Christmas lunch and then at 15.00 watch a Disney show with clips from different Disney movies, a tradition since 1960, although the clips change. After that there's time for pressies.
Later in the evening it's time for food again, the same as at lunchtime (and Midsummer, easter) the ham is the most important thing, and also meatballs, tiny sausages called prince sausages, herring, salmon and lots of other stuff. And to this you drink julmust. During the day you also stuff your face with loys of chocolates, the most popular and traditional chocolate box beeing Aladdin.

Before Christmas we start by decorating with an electric advent star in the window and an electric candelabra. Nearer Christmas people put up christmas pigs, santa decorations and christmas goats for example

Afternoon wenches. Haven’t done much since we got back. I should unpack. Another first I think.

We’ve got a —partially— decorated tree and other decs up. This year Christmas Day for will be DS2 gets up first, we prise DS1 out of bed. Open presents, breakfast (just usual cereal, etc), everyone gets showered and dressed, go and visit BestFriend, go to BigSis’s house and see everyone from my side there, exchange gifts, drink another gallon of tea, back home, DH goes out to see his brother, all get changed, out to SIL’s, eat some amazing food, gifts, back home. The DC get a little present under their pillows to find just before bedtime with a message written by a friend pretending to be an elf .

Big TV show for us of the day will be Doctor Who which we’ll have to record. There’s usually a big film on the main channels in the afternoon.

Also, I’m a bit in love with the Christmas pigs

Hello wenches.

Glad you had a good time LetUs.

It all looks lovely WW.

This will be the first Christmas Day since 1972 that I haven't cooked the meal, as we're going to DD's. I don't get away with it though as DS informed me a while ago that they're all coming to us on Boxing Day, as he's going to GF's family on Christmas Day. We have turkey, roasties, pigs-in-blankets, stuffing and an assortment of veg, followed by Christmas pudding and custard for those who like it or some other sweet for those who don't.

In all, this will be the 50th Christmas dinner I've cooked and to tell you the truth I've had enough. There will be 11 of us including 5 children, and I've no idea how I'll get them all round the table.

They'll all arrive about 12.30 and I aim to have dinner served by about 1.30. Afterwards we open presents, which will be total havoc, but nice for the kids as they'll have two Christmas Days. As far as TV is concerned, we usually don't bother, but the dynamic is different this year so who knows.

Whether they'll stay for tea I don't know, but when everyone has gone I generally collapse and say 'never again'.

Blimey apes I was born in 72!

Xmas eve we go to the cemetery to see my dad

Then to dhs aunt and then pils for dinner and we open gifts

Xmas day is at home - mum comes for a couple of hours in the morning

Boxing day everyone comes here - I'm doing afternoon tea this year instead of hot buffet

Then we just mooch about...dh and I are hoping to go out for a day at some point

And I bet every single dinner was delicious Apricot. Hope you’ve got something special —to drink— for yourself for after.

Boxing Day is a birthday for a family member and she’ll be up here for it so I’ll be off to mother’s.

DH has suggested having everyone round here on the Friday. Said of course, and then reminded him I’ll be at work

Washing machine is beeping at me. I thought I’d kept on top of washing recently but I’ve sorted through it when we’ve got back and it looks like we’ve been away for a fortnight!

DH has gone out so I’m supposed to be putting up more decorations. However, Miss Marple’s on (that I’ve seen a bazillion times)

Afternoon, have safely emerged from EnormousSupermarketThatSucksAwayMyWillToLive. DD was a bit of a star & helped. She is currently my favourite child

I adore the idea of Christmas pigs & prince sausages

The brutal truth is that we decorate with pigs but also eats them In the olden days if you were rich you would decorate the dinner table with a pig's head with an apple in it's mouth

Don't really know why they're called prince sausages btw

Awards Apes about a million

Thank you, the dinners must be alright, because they all keep coming back. We used to have the pig's head thing here in times gone by.

DH has recorded some Agatha Christie film which we're going to watch now. We watched The Crooked House the other night which was good.

at DD being Fancy’s favourite, DS1 came downstairs earlier to ask if we had anything planned tomorrow. Nothing unusual. He said isn’t tomorrow when last minute shopping is done? Nope, done mine, I’ve suggested he gets up early and goes out with DH tomorrow

There’s nothing I’m not liking about the pigs Wicked. Mmmmm

Ooo you’ve reminded me I’ve got that recorded Apricot! Excellent.

I had intended to start wrapping presents tonight. Not happening.

Have asked BestFriend if she wants to go and watch The Great Showman next week. She said yes and that she wants to see Star Wars too. Would I mind watching it again? Not even the tiniest bit

Oh I'm pleased you don't know why they're called that ww as that might spoil the magic randomness of it

Honestly letus if you'd seen the supermarket, you'd know why she was my favourite - I hate it, so massive & I don't know where stuff is. To give them their due, there were loads of staff, who were super helpful & no queues at the till.

apricot, you are obviously doing something right if they all keep coming back

Now helen, can you put Jonnie back please? I'm getting cold........

Now on the prosecco whilst watching ToTP2 Xmas special & doing the ironing. And dancing to Dr & the Medics

at supermarket

Watching Sherlock - The Great Game. Sigh.

Did you have a camera on me at last night’s wedding?

I have spies...........

Mmm Prosecco 😍