Christmas...around the table

After the madness of getting up in the wee small hours of the morning and opening the presents (why is it the wrapping takes hours and only takes minutes to unwrap?!) I look forward to enjoying my Christmas dinner in the company of my lovely family. 

This year, as I have done for the past 8 years now, I will be having Christmas dinner at my twin sister's house. As it happens...she lives in the same street as me! I know!... who would have thought it, twins living in the same street! A little confusing for the neighbours at times!

Donna has a lovely home and a large back room which over looks the garden, At Christmas she decorates it beautifully and her husband makes a specially designed, one off, never to be used again, Christmas table, to fit all the guests round, usually made from MDF. But once covered in a Christmas tablecloth, candles, table arrangements and place settings it looks absolutely stunning... I'm sure Kirstie Allsop would be impressed!

 A table fit for a banquet...which it usually turns out to be, with Donna and her husband cooking the turkey and veg, me donating the roast potatoes and parsnips and Mum and Dad bringing the Christmas pudding, mince pies and rum butter.

There is always plenty of Cava and Dad's favourite, ginger beer.

 

Presenting...the very beautifully decorated, Christmas table.

 

 

 There will be 13 of us  sat round the table this year. Mum and Dad, Donna and her husband and boys, my older sister Lisa and her husband and Phil and I with the girls.

Yes, the turkey is succulent, the crackers go bang and the cava is bubbly but what makes it special is the fact we are family.
Family means the world to me, especially at Christmas. I know I wouldn't be without mine. My family laid the foundations for my life. I'm rooted in them and them in me even though I continue to grow and flourish in my own way. We are all branches from the same tree.

As we sit around the table, we talk, we laugh and we reminisce about times gone by.

Dad grew up during the second world war and has many a story to tell. He's great at telling us stories of what he got up to in his younger days and I remember one particular Christmas story of when he was doing his National Service.

 He was posted out in Egypt for two years and when those two long years has passed he made the much eagerly awaited trip home by ship, expecting to be home for Christmas. However there was a series of delays and it never happened. He finally got home on his mother's birthday on January 8th...What a wonderful birthday present for his mum, to be reunited with the son she'd not seen for 2 years!

Yes, I could listen to Dad's stories over and over again, which we quite often do! But I love him sharing his memories. They're part of him and make him the person he is today.

 

Mum and Dad have been married for 54 years now. Mum was 19 and Dad 28 when they got married in 1958.  They have 3 daughters, 9 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren now. They really are the best mum and dad I could have ever wished for and I'm thankful for the upbringing they gave me.

 

 

Mum and Dad

 

A new family tradition...

 

 Something else we do around the table is sing...yes we sing! We get the carol sheets out and have a good sing song round the table once we've eaten. It's what we do. It started a few years ago now and it's become a tradition.  Donna and I have always enjoyed singing and I sing the harmony whilst Donna sings the melody. With the candles lit, the lights are dimmed and we remember the reason for the season, by singing the carols which tell the story of Jesus' birth.

We also sing a few Christmas songs too..Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas is a favourite, sung by the very talented Judy Garland in this clip.

 

 

I love the words in this song...

 

Once again as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Will be near to us once more
Someday soon, we all will be together
If the Fates allow
Until then, we'll have to muddle through somehow
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

 

I'm thankful we are all together at Christmas time. I'm thankful we have each other, I'm thankful that we are still able to laugh, smile, sing and reminisce.

I'm thankful for my family, my mum and dad and sisters.

I know for some, things won't be the same this Christmas. Maybe they've lost a loved one this year or their circumstances have changed. My heart and prayers go out to them and their families. Whatever situation you might find yourself in this Christmas, I'm thinking of you.

 

What are your family traditions? Or what happy memories do you have from over the years? I'd be interested to find out.

 

 

Have a very Merry Christmas.

Love Marie xx

PS...Anyone for a slice of cake?

A quick update on our new tradition, The Christmas Cake off!

Although we've yet to taste them, here are some photos of the end results!

 

 

My entry! Sarah my eldest daughter helped with the beading. We were going for a vintage look! Good enough for the family at Downton Abbey perhaps? :)

 

 

Donna's entry. A Winter Wonderland scene with all characters made from fondant icing...I think they look great!  But what does the cake taste like? We will see!

 

 

Mum's entry. Choir boy and Christmas bells. I made the cake so the judging has to be purely on the decoration! Again, all the decorations are made of icing by mum's own fair hands!

 

 

Let the judging commence...perhaps you'd like to be the judge when it comes to the decoration, we'll do the tasting! Feel free to leave a comment below.