Holiday Season

It's subdued, this holiday, though not as subdued as last year. Between Corona and my eye surgeries, everything around Christmas 2020 got cancelled, including the tree.  I actually had to go back and try to find digital evidence of any celebration.  Found nothing. 

This year was a bit more festive and we got to share some together time with others, but still in limited numbers.

First, we set up a tree!  I've said it before, but this could be the last year for a full tree with lots of ornaments and lights.  Without little kids or lots of family and guests, I think I can do with a few nice boughs of greenery and one string of lights and a few of my favorite ornaments.

Practically every ornament has a story so picking favorites will be hard.  All the others go the kids.

Christmas Eve we had a Raclette dinner with Renate and Gerd.  I don't think that's well known in the USofA - I tend to think of it as upside-down fondue.  There's all the parts - cheese and veggies - but you put them on a little tray and then they go under a grill on the table.  But just like fondue, it's a slow dinner with lots of time for conversation. Nice!

Christmas morning, there was a brunch with three others - and what a feast it was!  Really, another four could have joined us and still there would have been leftovers!  We ate and dawdled and very much enjoyed ourselves. The only negative was Helga, our hostess, who kept trying to coach her cat into the house.  Paula, the cat, is quite shy and because it was SO COLD, Helga was a bit worried.  Of course, Paula was OK. And we were sated!

Our evening meal was just the two of us, but festive!  Breast of duck, red cabbage, potato dumplings.  Werner was disappointed that the prepared fresh potato mix for the dumplings was sold out so we were reduced to the dried version.  It was OK, but next time...

Second Christmas Day (as they say here) we visited René, Rima and family.  Lex and Monika were there from Curacao as well as Finn, Amina's boyfriend. Aren't they cute?

  Of course there was more food - goose, (more) red cabbage, (more) potatoes and apple stuffing.  

Dessert?  I asked Rima what should I bring.  She said, You know that one with all the nuts?  Pecan pie, I asked? Yes, that one!  It's been two years since I made one and it was delicious. I tell you what, I have pie crust down.

It was FREEZING all those days and it would have been nice to have had some snow, but at least we got some sunshine.  That has been in very short supply lately.

Coming up, New Year's and more food.  There will be lots and lots and lots of black-eyed peas.