All is calm, all is bright (HA! Not. Christmas, Part II)

On Christmas Eve, all was a-flurry at my parents house as we prepared for the big bash that night. Everyone was in the Christmas spirit....






...kind of.



As usual, everyone ate and drank way too much, and i actually think the desserts outshone the main meal! Christmas cupcakes, tiramisu, vanilla slice, wine trifle, Christmas cookies, almond biscuits, cannoli in all the best flavours, a mud cake and sponge Christmas log...my mouth's watering just thinking about it. But i love our Christmas Eve tradition because everyone is together, the kids, the oldies, all of my dear cousins - my best friends - and everyone is happy and its lovely. The whole night is wiled away talking and laughing and eating and really, isn't that what Christmas is all about?



And, just for the kiddies, even Santa made an appearance.

(We call him Anti-Santa, of the boozy variety)

Christian not paying attention to his story. Fair enough. It was The Little Mermaid.

My father, his face begging the question that my brother and I have debated our whole life - is he smiling or snarling? The mystery lives on.

Sylvana and the gorgeous William - ACK let me squeeze those cheeks again!

(Not yours, Syl.) (no offence.)

On Christmas Eve we also celebrate a very special birthday. I'm talking, of course, about Cooper. He turned TWO this year, and we thought that deserved a cupcake. He didn't trouble himself with blowing out the candle.

"Hey what's that guys? Is that for me? Can i have it? When can i have it?"

After falling into bed at 2am, we still had Christmas day to contend with. This means more food, more drink, and another round of Happy Santa for Jo.

My Uncle, looking alarmingly happier now that he's sitting on Santa's knee.

Mum and Gerda, and Jo in the middle, just loving it all.

Opening presents is of course the perk of rising early on Christmas morning, and as you can see i was very pleased indeed with my Wii - THANKS JO!!! We have already had several rounds of tennis on the thing, and i have won exactly no matches so far. I did win a round of bowling though, i think. Was that me? It may not have been me. It may very well have been Jo. Jo is nodding his head. Glad we clarified, lest my readers think for a moment that i have any athletic ability whatsoever, even in video games. Marvellous.

And here we all are, sitting down to lunch, which is, as you can see, not Turkey, but pasta. Cause that's how we roll.

(bloody Italians)

By the end of the day, Cooper had really had enough. Buggered.

We had nothing left to do but nap, watch Christmas cartoons, play several rowdy games of cards and watch mum consume one too many Gin and Tonics (hey, I'm not judging. it's Christmas.) Suddenly it was 10pm and i was exhausted, not too mention ready to burst.

Thank goodness we could have a sleep in on Boxing day, before heading over to see Annie for even more eating and drinking (she only visits a few times a year. so i just had to do it. i had to.) Jo felt the occasion worthy of bringing out the Santa suit for the 3rd day in a row, and why not, when you find a gem of a wig like this to wear with it:

And on that note, i say bring on New Years, and 2010!