Hope you all had a most wonderful holiday!
We actually had a nice quiet Christmas as we did the big dinner on Christmas Eve, as has become the tradition over the last few years. Isn’t it funny how traditions just develop without thinking about them?
John and I did a lot of prepping and chose a fairly easy menu as we both ended up quite busy this last week. I did manage a bike trainer ride in the morning, though. Thank goodness to get a little sweat on before the cookie fest began
Got the table set up.
I know I mentioned this last year, but I love this china. It was my great grandmother’s.
We can never have more than 8 people for dinner, though – as that is how many place settings we have. 😀
John makes the sugared nuts that I so adore.
Like crack to me they are:
I baked off the shortbread and frosted them.
You know what is good? Mixing powdered sugar with eggnog. Makes an awesome glaze.
Again behind with stuff. I would normally have these baked before Christmas Eve. This year felt really hectic. Did it feel that way for anyone else? I finished my shopping way late, too. Maybe I am becoming less organized (like I ever really was to begin with…)
Cookies waiting!
Since we have a folding table to use for more people, we move our small dining table to the side as the buffet station. That way we aren’t trying to find space on a crowded table for dishes.
We had a goose, which my BIL raised (just like the Thanksgiving turkey), roasted potatoes, sausage stuffing, a small ham (in case we messed up the goose), brussel sprouts, drunken apples (apples cooked with a little sugar, water, bourbon, raisins, cinnamon and thickened with a bit of cornstarch), cranberry sauce and biscuits.
My food was touching here. I was pretty okay with that 😉
Tasty!
Goose is interesting if you have never had it.
It is almost like red meat. It is more like steak or venison than poultry, but not gamey.
After dinner, we had our other tradition, which is John playing Peanuts music.
And opened gifts.
Plus a cupcake ornament:
Does my family know me or what??
Then dessert and games! We had The Cake, which is the cake that was made for my grandfather for his birthday. It is a white cake with a praline icing. This year my sister made The Cake.
It came out good, especially since I gave Colleen less than good directions … ooops!
Yay! Sugar high!
Then one of our favorite games:
My BIL played this game for the first time and it was hilarious. If you want to laugh a lot, you need to get this game.
I ate so many cookies, too. Oh my gosh, so many cookies. I cannot eat another cookie. We have a bunch left and they are going into the freezer.
John and I exchange our gifts to each other on Christmas Day, with some help:
She kept getting on this pile. I took her off and she kept jumping back on. Until I opened them 😀
No fireplace, no problem!
Thank you Roku and Netflix, with or without Christmas music
What a nice weekend! I hope you all had a wonderful one as well!