Croser Family Blog: Christmas Day

We had a very enjoyable, quiet Christmas Day at home with lots of good food, gift opening galore and good old Christmas telly.

Lucy went to bed on Christmas Eve after leaving out a carrot for Rudolph and his friends, and two mince pies and a glass of whiskey for Father Christmas. She was excited and knew that FC would be coming that night with lots of lovely toys for her...she had dictated her letter to me (well kind of) and we left that for him too.

We had a very civilised wake up time of 7.30am (perhaps our last decent awakening hour on Christmas Day for some years to come...?) and were both excited to get Lucy out of bed and downstairs to see what Father Christmas had brought for her. The stockings were full by the fireplace, and she got stuck in straight away. Being a clever chap, Father Christmas had brought Lucy everything she had asked for, including the 'pink present' (a Polly Pocket car) and the 'blue present' (a book).

We caught up with family on the phone and even had Lucy unwrapping her present from Grandad and Mami Jeanne, and Grandma and Grandpa, on the web cam so that they could see her. She got so many wonderful toys and books, games and craft things, we have a feast of new things to do in the coming months. It has been hard to tear her away from all that she was given! The Thomas the Tank Engine train table and train set from father Christmas has been a particularly big hit with us all - lots of fun setting it up and working out the best layout of all the track (it has had Joe amused for hours!).

Our yummy Christmas lunch consisted of roast pork and stuffing, roast potatoes, carrots and sprouts, and a large amount of gravy. For dessert we waited until Lucy was in bed (!) and ate the most delicious chocolate cake ( from Wegmans) in front of a film. The one day of the year when I cheat and buy a dessert rather than make one!

We enjoy our quiet Christmases with just ourselves to please. We eat our favourite festive food and enjoy the day at our own pace, including the traditions that we have enjoyed for many years. This year was particularly special because Lucy was so excited, and we had so much fun explaining everything to her, including her in our traditions and creating new ones that we plan on keeping up for the next however many years she believes in Father Christmas.

Lucy with her new train set

I did feel a pang or two of sadness this year at times through the build up to Christmas - so many people around us were talking of seeing their families over the festive period, and seeing people in the supermarkets with trolleys stacked with food for big Christmas gatherings was thought-provoking. Knowing that our own families would be at home together, with us so far away, is always a little hard for me. I often miss England at Christmas because of the traditions that I grew up with feeling so far away - the mince pies and carol singers, Boxing Day celebrations (December 26th) and Christmas Eve in the pub.

But we did enjoy some English traditions this year that we haven't in previous years since moving here - I made some home-made mince pies which were, quite frankly, WONDERFUL!, and my sister Jane sent us a copy of The Snowman on disk which brought back many memories from Christmases past. It has been listened to dozens of times! We also got to watch the Queen's speech on Christmas Day afternoon (a very important part of an English Christmas), and we listened to carols from King's College in Cambridge, which are broadcast every year on Christmas Eve, and really are the icing on the cake for a traditional English Christmas.

Lucy had a thoroughly wonderful day and I wonder what she will make of it this time next year? I can only imagine the excitement will build and build over the next few years and result in 3am awakenings, squeals of delight that the neighbours will hear, and shouts of 'HE'S BEEN, HE'S BEEN!' as she discovers her stuffed stocking...very familiar memories to both Joe and I in past years (nowadays considered VERY past years :)