...and so it was Christmas

The wave of sickness spread across us like a tide, unstoppable and indifferent to our petty animal desires of good cheer. Despite our best precautions and self imposed quarantine, we still managed to infect seven of the nine family members who came to hold Christmas Eve with the Snoos. Thankfully the assault on their bodies did not take effect until after the big day was over and we managed to have the most perfect evening, just as I had hoped for.

Even though my body went into a psychosomatic shock at the sudden arrival of every body at once, I was profoundly pleased to see them all. In attendence were my parents and Mette's. My brothers Peter and Philip and Peter's wife Bettina, and Mette's brother Christian... or is it Kristian? I can never remember the exact spelling (who, like his father is also known as Momme). Alas, we missed the ever lovely Maja (Christian's GF) who spent the evening with her own family in København, and looking at that duck, who can blame her!

Naturally, Mette's Mom, who is a dab hand at making traditional Danish foods, brought her own duck, but horror of horrors I never got to taste it. I had my usual helping of my mothers flæskesteg (a pork roast which my family has adopted as our traditional Christmas meal) then had no further appetite. Later I would rue my misfortune but to no avail. The moment was passed and the evening moved on to the dancing and presents. As can be expected as the sole member of her generation in either family, the Snoos received so great a bounty of presents that at one point she almost disapeared under the mountain of wrapping paper which seemed to hold more of her interest than the gifts themselves.

I gave her a Hawaiian style kimono (which Mette found on the net) and I shall post pictures of it at some point in the future.

Alas I have but the one lousy picture of Lil Pip for in my absent mindedness I completely forgot to take pictures. Thankfully, Christian took some and I hope to be able to post those at some point in the near future. In the mean time he came down with the dreaded infection and spent the next several days in a state of sordid indisposition before hastily returning to London to assail the mountain of homework he had yet to begin before he fell ill. (Good luck with that my young pseudo-brother-in-law! Don't let the bastards grind you down)

The above picture shows Freja dancing around the tree which was put in the centre of my room, for this was the only place which could accomidate our dancing and singing, for by Mette's stated wish, we did indeed dance about the tree, singing Danish Christmas songs just like (I suppose) people did in the past.

This is probably going to become a family tradition, as is our making of confectionary and decorations. Only I made the decorations this year, but I hope as the years pass, Freja will join in (actually Oleg's son André made a few decorations as well).

Mette's amazing confectionary creations.

My some what squalid and unappealling efforts... (including the 'brown banana', which despite its horrible appearance, actually tasted very good).

I had a great evening and was very happy to be host to our first ever Christmas as an extended family. I don't know what will happen next year (maybe another baby will have arrivd into Freja's generation by then.... I can only hope so) but I would gladly play host to another such Christmas eve!

Also, thank you to every one who sent me a Christmas mail, or dropped by one of my many net haunts. I hope the new year see's us all bright eyed and prosperous!