Years when I'm organized I make lists, lists and more lists!
This year we are going to DD (Marie)'s for dinner, so I won't be cooking until Boxing Day, and so haven't made quite so many lists. Well that's the plan; but if her baby should decide to arrive early I won't know whether to stir the gravy or follow the ambulance! However, she's doing well and not expecting an early delivery.
All three DDs live within about 10 miles, so we'll probably pop in to see Emma and her family for a short while in the morning and also Lucy, who'll be cooking for her inlaws, before arriving at Marie's. Not sure what she's planning to cook, probably traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings, but it will only be the four of us so the rest of the day will probably be exchanging presents, watching TV and over-eating. We're staying overnight so we can both have a drink without worrying about driving home, but on Sunday morning we'll be coming home fairly early as Marie & Andrew are going to his people and I have to cook.
We're having the usual 'proper Christmas chicken' - a large capon/cockerel - plus all the usual trimmings including stuffing, bread sauce, lots of different veg and of course crackers.
I've got a small Christmas pudding just for tradition, but I doubt if much of it will be eaten that day. Much more popular is Christmas rice pudding, a recipe given to me by a Danish (lacemaking) friend. Boil/simmer pudding rice, milk and sugar till cooked, cool a little than stir in whipped cream and flaked almonds. The Danes serve it with a cherry sauce but we all like it 'plain'. Tea/supper will be just a buffet of cold meats, cheeses, prawns, salads, pickles plus cake, mince pies, trifle, biscuits, chocolates..... Not that anyone will be hungry after a huge dinner!
In between meals we'll have more present unwrapping - Emma has asked that the presents which Santa brings here for the children wait for a day so that the excitement is spread over longer. We'll also play a few silly games - Pass the Parcel is a favourite. Over the year I collect little bits, mostly freebies like magazine gifts and hotel soaps, to put between the layers of recycled wrapping paper; wrapping that parcel is a last minute job.
Before all that though I've got to make the last shopping lists. The meat is ordered and veg comes from the local farm shop, but I've got to do the supermarket bash either tomorrow evening or Thursday morning, and anything that gets forgotten we'll go without!
Brenda http://www.argonet.co.uk/users/paternoster/
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