Xmas Eve / Xmas Day

Where to begin?

Should I tell the tale of Meleena and I searching for some bread sauce mix at SaveMart and Meleena letting the staff struggle to understand what it was I was asking for?

Or perhaps the one about me going to get breakfast burritos from the local taco truck, to find that the usual guy wasn't behind the counter and having to figure out how to place the order in Spanish and requesting 'no zhivago' thinking that I was telling her no onions. I was, of course, talking complete jibberish.

Nevermind, though, as while I was out on those adventures the team was hard at work preparing the midnight feast of Tamales. The great debate, as it is every year, was whether the Pork or Chicken Mole was the best.

Then it was all about tidying up and getting ready for Steve and Sara to arrive - which they did at around 4:30pm. There was a confusing hug-or-handshake moment before a Corona was opened, a quick tour of the house, and then some catching up.

The Xmas Eve festivities themselves were the usual whirlwind with people turning up from around 9pm onwards and the house gradually filling up until around 11:30 when the White Elephant gift exchange took place. The gifts were good this year - a box of fishing bait, a luminescent unicorn picture, a mug depicting something unmentionable on a family-oriented blog, and a chest wig, to name just a few.

The usual midnight chaos of 'Merry Xmas' cheers and frantic gift opening then ensued before everyone settled down to examine their gifts, consume Tamales, a glass or two of Vodka and Orange/Beer/Soft Drinks/Etc. and a game a of Catchphrase before even the kids began to get tired and headed home at around 2:30am.

Xmas Day itself was low-key. After a lateish start I got cracking on preparing the Turkey and Stuffing at around noon and got things cooking at around 2pm. Steve and Sara went for a walk, Michelle went for a nap and, in between basting the turkey, I watched tv for a while before getting the rest of the dinner cooking at around 4pm.

6 o'clock rolled around before we knew it and we sat down to feast on a traditional UlloaSullivan roast dinner - Turkey, Stuffing, Ham, Roast Potatoes, Roast Parsnips, Carrots, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Gravy, Cranberry Jelly, Bread Rolls, Lizz's Green Salad (Thank you!) - with the Leons before retiring to the couches to watch Casino Royale (it's Xmas Day - you have to watch a Bond movie - it's the law where I come from!) - and eat Apple Pie and Ice Cream.

It was a good day. But no, there was no bread sauce or Zhivago to be found anywhere. Or in any language. :)

P.S. Big thank you to all for our gifts.