Our Christmas Day 2009

Christmas is so nice when you have children in the house. Although D told Em that the rule was breakfast first and then open presents. It never happened; Em was awake at 7:00 a.m. which was quite a decent hour considering it was Christmas.

She came through to wake us and we all went down stairs. Santa had been good and dropped off lots of little presents and some big ones too. He even delivered presents from Granny and Grandpa in South Africa and from Emily's Fairy Godmother also in SA. And there were presents from Auntie Wendy sent from Australia who never forgets a Birthday or Christmas present.

The excitement was just too much, Em got a "Baby Born" from Santa and the Bath set to go with her from Granny and Grandpa and a Horse riding outfit from her Auntie Gwenie. A scooter from Mom & Dad, clothes from auntie Wendy and sweets, then books, bubble bath, stickers and more stickers, a pink spatula, a pen with a fan and just load and loads of stuff.

Dad got a voucher for photography lessons with a freelance photographer, a calendar, a DIY book a calendar from Em and Moi, and a bottle of Captain Morgan spiced gold from Lisa.

Mom got loads of perfume and my negative scanner as well as Robbie Williams new CD, and from Lisa I got 2 lovely books and a beautiful calendar.

So we were all thoroughly spoilt. Luckily we had prepared all the food for Christmas the night before, so it was really a matter of sticking everything in the oven and then just waiting around till it was all ready. I had made the chocolate mousse the previous evening. So everything was in the oven and we all went and got dressed.

This year as none of us eat Turkey we decided to try a goose, a little extravagant, but we decided that we did not get a real tree this year so we could spend the money on a goose. I also ordered a free range goose from the butcher, I looked on the net how to cook one and they are supposed to be very fatty birds, but in this case the bird was not as fatty as what I had expected, most of the fat was under the skin on the back and the skin is as hard as leather once you have cooked it so you discard that and also pour off the fat every hour or so.

I think we may have cooked it too long and too high a temperature, because it was rather tough and a little dry, so I guess I really should have just cooked the chicken, oh well we live and learn. Lisa loved it and raved about my veggies which I must admit I love too. I did honey roasted carrots and parsnips and roasted vegetables with a blue cheese dressing, cauliflower with cheese sauce and we attempted to roast potatoes as well, but weren't very successful with that either.

Desert was Chocolate Mousse followed by Kaluha coffees.

Last year we went for a walk after lunch, however this year it has been so cold that even on Christmas day the temperature did not get much above 1 degree. Quite honestly it is the coldest winter D and I have experienced in the 9 we have had here.

And all too soon it was over, but Em is thoroughly enjoying her presents and don't know what came over dad, but she even has permission to ride her scooter in the house.

Oh I almost forgot, we have had our computer set up with a camera for Skype for the last month, so D's dad went out and got a camera and got his Skype working, so Christmas day we got to say hello to the whole family in SA, which was absolutely wonderful - isn't technology fantastic.