Christmas with Susan, Chris and 30 others

Christmas Day!! The day began at the fairly civilised hours of 7:30am with the usual present opening and much excitement by the little children over their new toys. We called home to catch up on the Aussie Christmas activities which were just coming to an end as our day was beginning. After breakfast of scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on bagels, we set to work preparing all the veges to feed 34 of us for lunch. Chris was masterminding the Christmas lunch and he had mapped it all out on a spreadsheet to make sure food went into ovens at the right time.

Once the early preparation was done we decided to join in the Brighton tradition and go for a swim in the ocean. It was another fine day but only about 8 degrees outside. Still we donned the bathers and headed off to the beach hut

that Susan and Chris share with some other friends. There were loads of people at the beach – if you can call an expanse of grey pebbles leading down to the ocean a beach! Chris reckoned it was busier than it is in the height of summer. There was quite a crowd of us at the beach hut and the Prosecco was already flowing when we got there. Ian, Chris, Beth – another Aussie friend who was staying with Susan and Chris, Karis – their youngest daughter, and I all decided we would brave the cold waters of the English Channel for a swim. Although I don’t think you can call it a swim, more a race into the water, get wet and get our again!! We celebrated our madness with a glass of Prosecco and then headed home for the next phase of lunch preparation!

After a lovely warm shower, it was back to the kitchen and that’s where Susan, Chris, Beth, Ian and I spent the next few hours as we prepped lunch, chatted and drank more Prosecco as all the family arrived and joined in the festivities. We sat down for lunch about 3pm and it was wonderful to share this meal in such good company. The food was superb and everyone was very happy and relaxed. The next few hours went by very enjoyably. We headed out for a walk around the block about 7pm, it was a very mild evening and nice to get out into the fresh air and help all the food settle. Headed to bed about 11pm after a wonderful day although Brianna and Lauren said it didn’t really feel like Christmas – cold, a traditional meal and no swim in the pool!!