My English Xmas

Well christmas is a time to spend with family, and this year, I've spent it with my boyfriend's. It has been a lovely time, starting Christmas Eve with christmas telly, alcohol and wrapping presents. I also spent the afternoon making gingerbread, 2nd year in a row, while listening to a mix of English and Norwegian holiday tunes (with a big thank you, thank you, thank you to my dad and sister who got me Putti Plutti Pott last year, because that is a tradition I truly missed living abroad- it's not on spotify and keeps getting taken off youtube).

Then Christmas Day, we woke up before the sun (probably around 10) to open presents. Everyone gathered in the living room, still sleepy, and opened the gifts one by one. Even I got quite a lot, wich was a bit of a surprise, being a newcomer in the household and not technically a family member. This included a lovely pink furry lounge set from the grandparents and a Pandora bracelet from the family. I also had the most amazingly deceptive present from my mum - a notebook and some nescafe coffee, or so I thought. When we were finished with the opening and started tidying and putting away, I thought 'I'd like one of those,' and opened the box. Then I laughed. She really got me this year.

See, my mum has this funny habit of packing presents in misleading boxes. You can usually tell, because of some tape, a bulge, unnatural weight, strange sounds, &c. Not so this time. I swear she even got the weight right. What I found in the box was a lovely necklace, a mini marc jacobs daisy perfume and some mini travel containers for cream, toothpaste or similar size restricted 'liquid' substances.

Then it was off to my boyfriend's grandparents for dinner. The turkey was delicious, and the company amazing. We had crackers with lots of strange stuff in it (like a yoyo, that the boys fought about) and high quality jokes (Q: Who is never hungry at Christmas? A: The turkey - he is always stuffed) and also some very festive flashing earrings. Everyone with pierced ears (including boyfriend's dad) wore them, the boys put them on their jumpers like little nipple ornaments. Class.

Today, Boxing Day, we had some more family over. Once again a very relaxed party, spent playing iPad Monopoly and Just Dance 3. That is such an awesome way of making yourself look like an absolute idiot, which is what I expect everyone to think of me anyway, so I didn't care. Honestly, I've always hated joining in and doing things I haven't done before/am rubbish at, and I've got 2 left feet and no coordination, but I've been trying to get out of my comfort zone a bit more than I normally would lately. That is to say, do stuff I'm not comfortable with BEFORE I'm so drunk I don't know what I'm doing. 

More xmas telly and attacking the nibbles tonight, and that's christmas pretty much over for this year. I'm guessing I'll come back to my own family for a proper Norwegian christmas celebration next year, but until then, there's some time for new year's resolutions, getting a life, and generally staying alive. Not to mention I'm going for the 360 Photo Challenge in 2013, so lots to do, lots to learn.

Merry Xmas and Happy New Year everybody!

xX