I know that a large and detailed update is long overdue, and I do apologise. 1. I didn’t intend to blog substantially during my holidays and didn’t even bring my laptop; 2. I’ve got this horrible flu/cold bug that’s going around the UK (over 75% of the population has it); and 3. mostly just family stuff has been going on.

I think it’s quite amazing how each family celebrates the holidays differently. At home when my sister and I were little, she would tell me what time I was allowed to wake her, and we would open our stockings together. Then my parents had a later time that we were allowed to wake them, and we’d all open the gifts from under the tree together. Then we’d have a big breakfast with bacon, stewed tomatoes, english muffins, and scrambled eggs. In the evening we’d have Christmas dinner with my uncles and cousins (on my mom’s side). We’d also exchange gifts with them too.

I must say that compared to what I do now with my boyfriend and his family, our Christmas was quite relaxed. It’s only the one day, and we don’t do anything for Boxing Day, or New Years Day, or anything like that. Even my mother’s birthday which is the 18th of December is rather low key (by her choice).

Here in England, not only do most of my boyfriend’s family (grandparents, parents, aunts, cousins, etc.) all live within the same area and even walking distance apart, but they actually get together often. For example: Sunday Dinner at the Grandparents. This is practically like Christmas dinner! Meat and gravy, multiple vegetables, aunts and kids and everything. But as Craig (boyfriend) says, “We do it because we want to.”

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying anything against it. I love that they do all their family stuff; our family doesn’t have as much traditional stuff. Also, I expect it has to do with us no longer having any living grandparents. I also noticed our Christmas change with the growth of the kids. I am the youngest in my immediate family, and my youngest cousin is 13. It makes quite a difference to have a 6-year-old running around excited about Father Christmas!

I hope everyone else is having a good time with your family. Sorry if the blog posts are scheduled, short, and boring. I’m busy enjoying my time with my boyfriend before we’re back to long-distance. On Monday we’re going to London to see The Phantom of the Opera! It was Craig’s Christmas gift to me. I’m really excited to see how they’re going to the chandalier bit!