Feeling a bit bleary-eyed on Christmas Day from lack of
sleep, we took things easy for the most part. We had been invited for Christmas
dinner by our good friends Dave and Dianna and their friend, Elsie, who would
be hosting the event at her place. We had read about Elsie on Dave’s blog, and
looked forward to finally meeting her.
Folks started arriving at Elsie’s around 4:00, with everyone
bringing a dish to share.
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| Denis, Vivian, Christina, and Dave |
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| Maria, Ed, and their son, Thomas |
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| David, Dianna, and Elsie |
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| Dianna working on the gravy, while Vivian and Elsie tend to the turkey |
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| Many hands making light work of getting everything on plates and platters |
And oh what a feast! Elsie did an amazing job with the
turkey. It was perfectly browned and the meat was tender and juicy. Dianna had
made a big batch of mashed potatoes, contributed a corn side dish, and whipped
up an amazing gravy. You can’t go wrong when a gravy is based on cream and
butter! Carrots and cranberry jelly joined the party, along with stuffing,
black beans, Yorkshire puddings and rolls. But before digging into all of that,
Mae and Craig served up a salad that was chock full of wonderful things like
pears, candied walnuts, and cranberries.
After literally stuffing ourselves into oblivion, we all
somehow found room for dessert. Maria made an apple pie that was beyond
delicious. It has been years since I had a slice of apple pie and after one
bite, I was in love. A traditional black cake was also served, sort of like the
local version of fruit cake.
Elsie was a fabulous hostess and we look forward to meeting
her partner, Alan, when he arrives on December 31.
But more than enjoying all the wonderful food, we thoroughly
enjoyed spending the evening with friends. We couldn’t have asked for a better
holiday. But the fun was just beginning, because the next day we hitched a ride
with Dave and Dianna to Four Mile Lagoon for a Boxing Day lunch at Ed and Maria’s
house.
Situated right on the lagoon, their house is absolutely
lovely with some very distinctive features including a domed ceiling in the
their dining room. I would guess about 30 people were in attendance and, like
the Christmas dinner, folks brought various dishes to round out the awesome ham
that Maria made.  |
| Circling the buffet |
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| Ed and Maria's porch with lagoon in the background |
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| Just some of the guests chatting in the living room. |
Once everyone had finished gorging themselves, it was time
for the gift exchange game. For this party, the rules were that an individual
or a couple could bring a wrapped gift that cost about $20 BZD. I had purchased
a clay pot from a local store as our gift. I thought it might be a popular
item, but I had no idea it would be stolen and passed back and forth so many
times! But the pot had competition against a bottle of red wine. But amid all
the swapping and stealing, everyone had a great time. Thanks to Ed and Maria
for a fun-filled party!
The holiday festivities don’t end there. Next Tuesday, we
have back-to-back parties. First up is a New Year’s luncheon back at the lagoon
at Gail and Earl’s house. After that, we head over to Dave and Dianna’s to take
part in their second annual Polar Bear Swim. Stay tuned for details.
One thing’s for sure: we have never had so much fun or been
on the go like this during the holiday season.
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