My first christmas

I've never celebrated christmas before, it's just not a thing in our family. We always did new years instead, the very proper way. Starting with enormous lunch, filled with incredible food, stories and laughter, continuing with gathering around decorated tree to exchange gifts, play games, munch on exotic fruits and cold cut, while waiting for midnight. Toast to an incredible year and whispering best wishes for what's yet to come, while watching fireworks at turn of the year. That's what holidays were all about for me, but since things have change a lot in last 365 days and we've crumbled all around, we decided to give chance to christmas this time instead.

Preparations

I found out about it rather late, since we've never done it before, and I had only two days left to find some proper gifts for everyone. Including my friend, who announced her presence in very last minute and, just like me, had celebrated her christmas for the very first time. I'm just so used to shop for gifts somewhere between 28th and 30th December, when majority of people is already done with it, stores are empty and you might even be given a discount. There were times, when, with efficient list, I was able to gather gifts for EVERYBODY in just two hours, and that was for quit some people. 

Despite getting trough horror by visiting Oxford street few days before, I need to admit my gift hunt really wasn't that awful, as I was able to find all stuff in some pretty cool stores in Camden market. While we ran out of gift labels, I then even made those myself, and can say that I've found some pretty nice and personal presents.

We only needed to get and set up a tree, and we had christmas spirit right there. And of course, a proper holiday sweater!

Baking

What is a holiday spirit without some delicious, home made and with love filled cookies. All the years, my mum made loads of them, in all shapes and flavours, so this time I decided to give it a try as well.

My friend, and I decided to take it one step further with making a gingerbread house. Or so the intentions were. It did came out in the form of a house at the end, but instead of a cute, colourful children friendly one, looked like that one special place parents always tell you to avoid in a big circle, cos you're gonna get raped there. Fail on the side, we definitely had a lot of fun making it, and cookies turned out pretty good as well.

 Cookies recipe:

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2.1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1.1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• + chocolate and smarties for decoration

Dinner

Once everybody got home, it was time for our first christmas dinner. We've started with christmas crackers, that came with little gifts, paper crowns (of course) and some silly, funny jokes. Dinner was very festive as well. Our three course meal had prawns with avocado for starter, gnocchi with duck for main dish and some amazing fruit salad with heavy cream for dessert.

 The evening continued by playing some fun family games, despite only sloppily knowing rules for most of them, we had a great laughter around them and were challenged to do our best every time.

Morning

As we all love to sleep in, nothing was different on christmas day. Rather then in morning, it started at noon, and what better way to start a day then with pancakes. After enthusiastically made by me, we set around dinning table to fill them with chocolate spread and other toppings, from fresh fruits to pineapple jam (yes, that exist as well, and you can find it in Indonesia).

Gifts

At time when you are a kid, gifts are definitely the most excited part of the holidays. After growing up, my excitement focused on food, but I would lie if I'd say I wasn't thrilled opening the presents with my name tag. I received a bunch of interesting, and carefully chosen things, from beautiful floral earrings, to fluffy fur hat; organiser, chocolates and candies, colourful stickers, to personalised bag and more.

Despite maybe not being exactly what I expected or not really fitting picture perfect movie scenes, overall the whole christmas thing was a really fun and bonding experience, that I soon hope to relieve with my family for a real New Year's party.

Have a fantastic 2018, everybody!