Xmas With a Crowd

Xmas with a crowd

On Saturday the 23rd of December we had our family Xmas party. We began the tradition of getting together the weekend before Xmas about five years ago after my marriage broke down. I figured it would make life easier for my grown children, whom naturally wanted to start having their own Xmas day with their children. It also leaves Xmas day free to spend with their outlaws, should they so desire and negates the need to be driving all over the state on Xmas day when the rest of the world may be on the roads , not always entirely sober!. Great idea and easy huh ? Well mostly... with a nurse and a doctor in the family who work shift work and a couple of our little grandchildren who need to also be with their Dads at Xmas, and one family who need to "come from afar" like the wise men did , setting a date can get challenging .

Well the venue has always been at my home and as I've since moved five times in five years , anyone would think I was avoiding Herod and the Census! My brother and his family join us for the party and I usually get the "where do you live NOW " text early in the day. Even though I'm no cook, I genuinely enjoy hosting the day . For a few years now I have given my adult children lovely Xmas plates , cloths , servers (um mm hint hint !).  My son and daughter in law were kind enough to jump in and host the Xmas party this year. My daughter had some of us over today on the real Xmas day for roast lunch ...yum !

For me,  cooking and food prep start the evening before , by now we mostly have our signature dishes set. Mine are dutch eggs and potato salad, easy huh ?. Well it was.... when I could buy prepared salads from the supermarket but apparently...there has since been a proclamation saying that  modern pregnant women can't eat prepared salads.....gees I'm really going to need a Xmas miracle  if I'm going to make potato salad from scratch ! I had to a few Xmas days back when my daughter was pregnant and luckily kept the recipe in the Christmas box..which is sooooo unlike me.. and of course, the dish was a hit and demanded every year since, pregnant eaters or not!.

I had my three eldest grandchildren with me for food prep this year. They are by no way fooled, they are well aware that we all have God given gifts and talents and that none of mine have anything to do with the kitchen! Now...we have to talk trifle ! In Australia there is a southern and a northern way to make trifle ! I was bought up down south and was taught to make it cake layer first , set purple jelly on it , peaches layer next ,green jelly poured over them , when this is set , home made custard , poured in for another layer to set , finally whipped cream with chocolate curls . There is going to be a crowd right at this Xmas party , be wise to make the trifle in the punch bowl for 25 people right .....ummm ......didn't think this through did I ? How was I going to transport this ? , it didn't fit in any esky and where exactly is it going to go when I get there? I can't fit it in my fridge let alone these skinny two door fridges that the young ones all have now ! Oh well,  lined a chiller bag with ice and sat the trifle on it uncovered, stayed cold at the venue but forgot to put ice in sealed plastic bags and it melted all over the floor...but it actually tasted good , miraculously! 

The northern states make what my Mum always called "Cheat's trifle" . it involves , chopped up jam roll , peaches poured in on top , packet custard poured over that . Red and green jelly set separately and when set chopped and sprinkled over custard for decoration. A bone of contention with my Queensland born friends and family ...but then again, I doubt they will believe anything I say about cooking!!

The Party program is similar each year, we gather mid morning  and have present giving which we call The Xmas Tree. There are seventeen of "us " now plus six others present  for the party..The beautiful and capable mothers in our family  seem to be good at birthing  beautiful baby girls...mostly . The three wise husbands  and  hands on fathers of our family , my son and almost two son in laws are around to model to our slightly increased number of male grand babies. I have eight grandchildren , two of whom it was their first Xmas.  I have five under five grandchildren so we had lots of Xmas elves and Santa's helpers , nappy changing , breast feeding, attempted ingestion of Xmas paper, touching of Xmas tree ,  cuddles, and much "helping" others unwrap their presents and not always too much sharing... I gave up wrapping presents some time ago , I try and put the children's' presents in an over sized Xmas bag so Mum & Dad can place their other presents in it to store and carry. The giving out of presents is strictly one at a time and everyone else is expected to provide the appropriate "oohs & ahhhhs " as the gift is revealed. With each grandchild getting up to 6 presents each ...yes it takes forever! Definitely a Xmas tradition up for review. 

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It is very hot in Queensland this time of year . After Xmas tree , every one is exhausted already , some  needs drinks or breastfeeds, bottles, sipper cups or poppers to re hydrate. Nappy change , toilet stops and sometimes naps are in order while buffet lunch is prepared, then it's a scramble for high chairs , bibs,children's tables and chairs as children are generally served first and don't you wait for everyone to sit down before you start eating , dig in. We share a lovely meal together , the toddlers kind of wander around , often too interested in new toys , play equipment etc to eat. Someone holds the young babies whilst tired parents of under one year old bubbas eat in peace, being fairly certain that no-one at their house is sleeping in heavenly peace just yet!.

One of my beautiful daughters and her lovely partner were on holidays snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef , we missed them at the party but understand how hard it can be to get holidays at the same time .

So from my family to yours 

                       

                                             Blessings and peace at 

                                                                                          Christmas

                                                                2017