Chrismukkah 2009

Another year, another Chrismukkah celebration - expanded again for the third year running. We're now up to 16 adults, two toddlers, and one baby bump). The celebrations kicked off at 2ish, the last guests left about ten to midnight.

The day consisted of: 2 bottles champagne, 4 bottles bucks fizz, 5 bottles wine, 20 bottles beer, 1 bottle Baileys, 5 cafetieres coffee, 1 turkey, 2.5 kg potatoes, a kilo mac cheese, 1 apple crumble, 1 xmas pudding, a whole cheese board, no toddler tantrums and Home Alone played on a loop about four times.

Good friends, good food, good times. Nicely done. Here's to next year.

gingerbread house

Another grand festive tradition: the assembling and decorating of gingerbread houses with my oldest friend, Laura. Much sugar-hyped fun.

For the record, though I put the cow there, my friend was the one who said "He needs some innards" and put the red licorice there...

The Thank Credit Crunch Chrismukkah meal 2008

Up to a certain point (usually around December 23rd) I love the festive season. I love the build up and the lights and decorations and music and buying crap for people and the emphasis on friends and family. But by the time Christmas Day actually rolls around, I'm so over it. So we had our becoming-traditional Chrismukkah lunch today: 12 adults, one toddler, the first people arriving at 2pm, the last people leaving at 10pm; lots of food, my sister and I cooking, trying to schedule everything in, suddenly remembering we hadn't put the potatoes on to boil though the turkey was basically cooked, completely forgetting about the stuffing. No major spillages, less booze consumed than I'd thought we might, everyone wearing the paper hats from crackers, and Tayo loving all the attention he was getting. Much talk of the previous night's X Factor (pah), excellent desserts brought by people (we asked people to bring contributions), fun with the squirty whipped cream, Christmas jumpers, eating so much you feel sick, and people passing out on the sofa... sounds like Christmas to me.

dance till the morning light

Slow Club have been the soundtrack to my 2008; I love love love them and their live shows are just so endearing. Tonight we saw them at Union Chapel in Islington (what an amazing venue), along with a bunch of special guests. We sat in the pews drinking cups of tea and listened to Jay Jay Pistolet and Adem (who did a great version of Silent Night), then Slow Club came out and did their thing. They'd distributed lyric sheets for a good old singalong - unfortunately, the ink was red and the lighting in the chapel was verrrry low, so it was pretty much unreadable. No one really minded; everyone kind of hummed and clapped along anyway. A great last gig of the year.

happy merry whatever

10am, Christmas morning: as we open the blinds to discover grey skies and sheeting rain.

My sister: Ohhh, I was hoping for a White Christmas, not a wet christmas.
Me: There's only two letters between 'white' and 'wet' christmas.
Sister: There's only two letters between 'white' christmas and your mum.

3pm, Christmas day, Shepherd's Bush.
My godson, while not quite as insanely cute as last year, is rocking the festive jumper look, surrounded by many noisy toys.

4pm, Christmas day: driving back home.
Over Chiswick Bridge, the sky looks as if it's on fire - the rain has gone, the snow isn't coming, but there's a killer sunset to round off the daylight hours of Christmas '07.

Later: dinner scheduled around the Dr Who Christmas special, too much food, watching Hairspray in bed.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a... thank god Christmas is done for another year.

Merry Christmas, mofos

Sorry, I had to. Kid looks so darn cute.

This is my favourite boy, my godson Tayo, all dressed up for Christmas:

Hope y'all had a good one, whatever you've been celebrating. I promise to resume normal, non-nauseatingly-cute picture posts soon.