[John]

I think I ate a bit too much - or I'm about to give birth to the monster in Alien!
I was getting a little flustered with the meal so my daughter sort of took charge and it became a joint operation. It was lovely and easy then. We had chicken this year with stuffing balls, pigs in blankets, Giant pig in blanket a la Asda (special request from the grandson), battened carrots and parsnips roasted with a honey and maple syrup glaze, Orla potatoes roasted in local Wagyu beef dripping, cauliflower cheese, par-boiled sprouts finished by frying in butter and olive oil, onion sauce, redcurrant jelly.
Intensely aware how lucky we are and how precious life is.

[snowdrops]

We’ve enjoyed our day, but we did get to see our children albeit briefly & of course the munchkins, 4 year old had opened everything at lightening speed whereas 2 year old still has masses to do tomorrow.

[John]

That was one of the best Christmas days we've had. Cooking the meal with my daughter, son-in-law and grandson building a Lego dragon together, Val having an easy day - although she did do the onion sauce and cauli cheese in the morning before I was functioning on all cylinders 
Tiring, but in a good way.
Called the neighbours up the hill to thank them for a rather decent bottle of Bushmills - very smooth and rich - and they were having a good day too. It would be nice to get together but bugs are bugs. Not a major sacrifice compared to those being made by many.

[Growster...]

For the first time, Christmas Day was such a doddle, that lots of habits just went out of the window, and Mrs Growster and I - admittedly with the after effects of a couple of sherberts, really lost the plot from about 2.00pm onwards!

We bought each other some DVDs, and one was 'A year in Provence', which is about 25 years old, and while we loved John Thaw and Lindsay Duncan, it took us back too far into the 'nineties, when we always went to France for hols with the girls, but hasn't life changed now!

So, it was another 'Foyles War', (Hastings is home town for me), and I even droppped off at the end of that for no reason than, as usual, the day is huge on the calendar, but this year, it was another Sunday!

What a great day, and I'm so pleased everyone else had a sort of fab day as well!

And it's 'bubble and squeak' today, which will be the biggest we've ever done!

Even fabbier!

[New shoot]

It was a lovely relaxing day and I am looking forward to a Boxing Day re-run, but with less cooking as we have leftovers!  That is about my favourite bit 

Christmas can be a routine sometimes and you feel you are rushing around too much to really enjoy it.  Buying a lot less - food and pressies, plus just concentrating on making it as best as you can, really has something to recommend it.  There is a happy balance to be struck there and I wonder how many people will have a re-think in future years.

As an added bonus, I have onion seeds to sow later on

[GraciesGran]

We had a lovely, relaxed day.  Lots of phone calls in the morning.  Lunch arrived when it was cooked, dog walked and then we read. Watched a couple of dvds, smoked salmon and fizz for the evening.

[Aunt Sally]

And it's 'bubble and squeak' today, which will be the biggest we've ever done!

Even fabbier!

It would just not be Christmas without bubble and squeak on Boxing Day.

Wonderful 

[wighty]

Pleasant, unrushed day for us as well.  The girls gave me a web cam so I can now see them whenever I want.  The only downside was we had a power cut in the evening so another round in the Scrabble championship was played by torchlight. Nothing much planned for today either and, like Newshoot, I much prefer the leftovers than the main meal.

[mrs bouquet]

Isn't it interesting that so many of us, me included, prefer the leftovers, the bubble and squeak etc.   Maybe we should do our "Christmas Meal on Christmas Eve", the we would have left overs on Christmas Day, along with pate, cheese, cold Christmas pud, a few broken mince pies, a lump of cake and anything else one wants to hit on.     Just put it all on the table and help yourself as and when, not forgetting the gammon.   Mrs Bouquet

[wighty]

Makes perfect sense to me but somehow I don't think I'd get away with it.   

[New shoot]

It is a bit strange isn’t it.  Everyone loves a buffet and meals where they can pick and choose what they want.  Sit down Christmas lunch is nice as well, but there is something about rummaging in the fridge and finding treasures.  It is just the time of year when you know they are bound to be in there, so you start looking 

[Growster...]

Finding treasures...

...like a chocolate orange I'd forgotten!

Mrs Growster and I were musing yesterday, on what size turkey we used to have at Christmas.

My mum usually bought a capon, which did us proud, but apart from Boxing Day cold, I just cannot remember what she did with the rest of it, because there must have been a lot left over!

Nope...

Still can't remember - I'll have to ask my dear sister near Stoke on Trent...!

[snowdrops]

I remember one year my dad won a turkey, it was huge, he had to wedge it in the oven with his foot, mum couldn’t lift it out lol goodness knows how long it got cooked for, I think they put it in before they went to bed, mind mums speciality was dry turkey 

[rowlandwells]

a belated Christmas to all as i was not here on Christmas day back home before curfew had a few glasses of something  or another missed Santa had another several glasses of I can't remember boxing night   

now how did i get in bed? anyway getting back to normal today mite just have a couple of beers tonight if i can find the key to the drinks cupboard the wife said didn't you know we are on lock down in this house what does she mean i wonder

sorry must dash have to find that key 

[Growster...]

I remember one year my dad won a turkey, it was huge, he had to wedge it in the oven with his foot, mum couldn’t lift it out lol goodness knows how long it got cooked for, I think they put it in before they went to bed, mind mums speciality was dry turkey 

When we were newly married, we worked in Mrs Growster's parents' pub, and Christmas Day was a hoot, as so many customers came in with all their families (Sunday opening was 12.00- 2.00pm)! We'd have lunch around 3.00pm...

We still chuckle about one lovely chap, who always told us that his wife has started to cook their turkey around 7.00pm on Christmas Eve!

Hmmm - dry...?