Wednesday 25th December 2024

Woke around 0815. Descended to make tea, and came back to bed. Kath had gone to work, and mum and dad still in bed. Eventually rose and porridged at the dining table. Prepped a bit more food ahead of cooking the Christmas dinner. Turkey still not fully defrosted, so we bagged it up and stuck it in a bowl of water for a bit. Kath got back around 1215, and we had a light lunch...gravadlax, avocado, prawns, and toast. 

Opened our presents in the dining room. Dad gave us a couple of framed photos he'd taken on his travels around Northumbria...one of some fishermen's cottages at Craster, and one of a view of Bamburgh Castle. Dad seemed pleased with his Jamie Oliver cookbook. Mum liked the mugs we gave her. Kath gave me two Dickens hardbacks, "Martin Chuzzlewit", and "Hard Times". Started the long slog of cooking the dinner. 

We stuffed some citrus butter below the breast skin, and stuck it in a bath of white wine before sticking it in the oven. Roasted the potatoes; made creamed cabbage with apple and cumin; roast harissa parsnips with garlic and salad onions; fried brussels sprouts with pancetta; carrots; broccoli; bread sauce; nut roast...it was delicious! Though ma and pa didn't eat much. 

Waitrose Christmas pudding for afters with brandy cream and ice cream; and cheese and potato crackers to finish off. Had to have a brief lie down afterwards! Watched a bit of telly. Brought the ukuleles down to the living-room, and we had a sing-a-long-a-Xmas, then graduated onto some karaoke via YouTube. Dad sand "Danny Boy", Mum did "The White Cliffs of Dover", Kath sang "Dancing Queen", and I nearly strangulated my hernia impersonating Marc Bolan with a rendition of "Jeepster".