Tinsel in the sunshine

Friday, December 27th, 2013

Cake before incision

And there it was, Christmas. Did you enjoy it? Did it meet all of your wild expectations? Did it do everything it said on the tin? Well, mine was enjoyably quiet, spent with Gareth's parents, who - surprisingly - didn't try to feed me one single cream cake. Pork pies, though, were a very different matter. I don't think I ever want to see another pork pie until, well... at least January 1st.
I am no particular fan of Christmas; I really do think that, unless you're a churchgoer and celebrate Christmas for its proper religious traditions, it's very much a time for children, or to be a child. If you're a parent or grandparent and can spend Christmas Day with a child, it must be magical. But otherwise, for your average adult, it's just a time to be with friends and family, drink and eat and be off work. And that'll do me.
The lead-in to Christmas is far better than the day itself, and certainly better than the aftermath. I prefer the expectation of Christmas Eve, when the presents are wrapped and under the tree and the excitement of the next day is yet to come.
And the worst day is Boxing Day, when the house is upside down and the last thing you feel like doing is tidying the house or washing or cleaning or hoovering or anything remotely approaching strenuous.

Tinsel in the sunshine. Yuk!

And what I hate most of all is tinsel in the sunshine. Christmas should be strictly a night-time thing, with colourful lights and candles and shiny decorations twinkling in the twilight. Tinsel in the winter sun just depresses me, for some reason.
It wasn't actually until today that we got round to breaking open the Christmas cake my mum had baked us. My mum's Christmas cakes are always delicious - and alcoholic - affairs, and this one was no exception. I can't eat too much rich food, so this time of year is particularly difficult with all of its mince pies and puddings, but my mum's cake is always light, and this year is laced with all manner of spirits, as well as boasting a rather lovely double layer of icing, with marzipan sandwiched between.
Next up, New Year. I much prefer New Year, it is a time to celebrate the good things of the previous twelve months and look forward and make plans for the next twelve. The year 2013 won't go down in my own personal timeline as a classic, but I can feel in my bones that 2014 is going to be a year of real change, for the better. January will bring a turning point in my life (the exact nature of which I look forward to discovering), and February has a massive and important event too, which I am looking forward to immensely.
And beyond that? Who knows... But I do know that it's going to be a good one.

Cake post-incision. Loving the double layer of icing