First mission on Christmas morning was to call our families back home. Due to the time difference we had to make the call early, or else Christmas would be over in Australia. With that task out the way, Danny got busy in the kitchen whipping up a breakfast spread – eggs, smoked salmon, ham, bacon and toast. That was just the beginning of our overindulgent day.

 

Once much of the extended family had arrived we drove down to Flushing for a walk along the coast. It was a little muddy but the green fields, calm seas and fresh air were exactly what we needed after a heavy breakfast.

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Back at the house it was present opening time, which took hours due to the number of people there were (14 all up). We were fortunate enough to receive presents too, which was completely unexpected but gratefully received. Several bottles of champagne were drunk during the process (and not only by us). We even watched the Queen’s speech on TV, a spectacle we have not had the privilege of witnessing before. She spoke a great deal about Australia and New Zealand, in particular our natural disasters, which increased our interest somewhat. 

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Dinner was HUGE! Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cabbage, parsnip, Brussels sprouts, pigs in blankets, cranberry sauce, bread sauce (a new one for me) – the food was never-ending. And of course it was followed by a massive dessert spread, to make sure we were truly full to the brim. Each mouthful was amazing, resulting in an excessive consumption of calories that is generally expected on Christmas day. After dinner we played an old family-favourite, charades. Danny had never played before and was basically hopeless. The rest of us, although slightly intoxicated, managed to make a game of it. In the end it turned out to be a late night (by our standards), but it was a wonderful day overall.