What Christmas Looks Like

What does Christmas look like for you?
What are your family traditions?
Is it a big gathering, or just a few people who really care about each other?

Christmas for me is a small family gathering. My brother and sister-in-law are coming this year, so there will be 7 of us (8 if you count the cat).

Our tree was decorated after Dad finished work for the year, as we do every year unless we can convince him to let us put it up earlier. There are white lights and quite a variety of ornaments. Some handmade, others purchased, and every year we have a new ornament for each family member (See my other blog for the Tiny Stockings) .

There are Christmas cards on a string on the wall, actually there are now 2 strings full (aren't command hooks wonderful).

We have been doing Christmas baking (although not as much this year as other years). I made the pudding this year - my first attempt, so we won't know until tomorrow if it tastes good. Today I was decorating the chocolate log - a chocolate sponge roll covered in chocolate. This year we have 2 branches, both covered in milk chocolate, and the main log part covered in dark chocolate. I have yet to dust it with icing sugar, as I am waiting for the chocolate to harden.

Tomorrow we will start cooking the Christmas dinner (lunch) at about 10.15am. Lamb and Turkey will be on the menu, as not everyone likes turkey. It's not a full turkey, just a rolled turkey breast. There will also be roasted vegetables.

As the meal is cooking we will probably open presents (depending on when everyone arrives). We don't put presents under the tree. Instead everyone has a sack (or something) and we take turns to give our gifts to the other family members.

Before we open any gifts, we read the Christmas story and sometimes sing a carol or two. We do this because we are remembering the reason why we celebrate - the birth of our Savior, Jesus! He was the greatest gift. What we give to each other are just tokens.

1.00pm is when we plan to eat. There will be handmade bonbon crackers, laughter and talking.

I have no idea what we will do in the afternoon, that will depend on how tired everyone is and whether we opened all the gifts before lunch.

Tea will be salad and cold meat - and the pudding!

So that is what is planned. But what it will actually look like I do not know.

Merry Christmas to all my readers and followers!
I pray that you will remember (or learn) the real meaning of Christmas.
God Bless.