Christmas Day lunch
Christmas Day began with the opening of the loot, of course. But i didn't take any photos of that. But around 11 we set off for Clonard...and were late for the mass. We had also missed the blessing of the toys, which was a blessing for me. The idea that the church should buy into this nonsense of materialist shite at Christmas is horrifying. Although i've been told off about this. Anyways, the church was so packed that someone had fainted outside and St John's Ambulance had to be called in.
Here we stand outside the doors of the cathederal. We didn't stay long, however. Not having gotten good seats in church annoyed Peter and we all left...
...and came to Galgorm. When we got there, Oisin said, it's just like Narnia. It is an incredible place. A rambling old estate with huge buildings and haunted places. Snow was everywhere - and the old gas lamps were just the ticket.
We went to Galgorm for lunch. It was too expensive for what we got, but let's not talk about the food. It was the whole thing that we paid for...
We entered the gates and Oisin said, it's like Narnia, which made it well worth while, even if we ate nothing.
I'll load the photos of me and the boys playing the snow, but thus far, here are the pixes that made it on.
I took a few of myself in the snow...just for the hell of it. One of them is now my profile photo in facebook. Which made it well worth my trouble already.
Here's another one...
It was cold. How cold. See for yourself. I love the frost and the ice and the way it all clings to the edges of leaves, even dead ones. And the branches of tress look like pipe cleaner.
During dinner Santa arrived. I'm sure he was sorry because...
well, here he is in a pose he's more used to...
but the reason Peter is grinning is...(yes, he is grinning)...
is because Oisin started to cross examine him. What did you bring me last night? Did you bring me a robot? Did you bring me a train? You should have seen poor Santa. He was blinking furiously. Here we have a QC in the making. You don't often here me saying careerist things about my children, but i wouldn't like to be at the receiving end of Oisin's TORT, if he ever makes it there. Jesus...i felt so sorry for Santa. I even began helping him out...
Despite receving a bribe, he didn't stop. I asked him later on, why did you ask him where his motor bike was - Where's your reindeers mate, he replied. Oisin's logic was, there is only one Santa. At least that won't be questioned this year...
Peter laughing his head of. I was splitting my sides.
Look at that grin. Such evilness. I think Peter is giving Santa answers to the questions. Def an objection, your honour!
Ghin enjoys his bread and soup.
Ah yes, Ghin the clown. Very funny, young man...
Oisin trying his fashion pose...
Ghin trying his fashion pose...
Oisin had a burger...that is definitely the most expensive burger in history...
Yes, drinking early does not stop your child from living a fully normal life...
And after that we played in the snow... Oisin walks on water.
The ice was frozen solid. He could even jump on it!
That's him kicking the snow.
Ghin in his gnomy hat. Scraping the snow. It was funny. He didn't want to copy Oisin walking on water.
There must be around three photos of myself and Peter together, on our own. So this one is really precious.
Christmas, but so different from the Christmases that i've known. It has always been a large extended family event, and normally i'm out visiting people, but this year we kept it really really quiet. Just our wee family. Just quietly enjoying each other. I don't want to say that it was a perfect Christmas, because it was the nicest one i have had for ages and ages. And i think it's because we didn't conform to a type. We didn't have people over and we didn't cook. I cooked for the solstice, but that was the height of it. OK, i cooked a lot. But it was also lighting the flame, and while there is so much to be said for having friends around, there is also a lot to be said about spending time on our own, especially when we just run from pillar to post most of the time.
There was some TV watching. Hamlet and Dr Who and The Day of the Triffids - the last one was perfectly dull and awful. And there was some travelling to Derry. But there was also lots of just not getting up at 7 am with a start and rushing about to get everyone to work and school on time.
I'm now supposed to be tidying the house, but also need to load more photos on, which i will do now. Now that Christmas is over, i'm heaving a sigh of relief. I'm so sick and tired of it. I hope there is a real backlash. That people aren't going to be afraid to say, this is shite and i'm not buying into any of it. It just seems to get sillier and sillier each year.
I don't know how most people afford it.
Comments