Christmas

 

Christmas

For me Christmas is all about children, contact with friends and family and gourmet eating and drinking. Believe it or not there is room for spirituality in there, if not religion. It may sound hedonistic but, for me, it is not.

In the absence of children and family it reduced to contacts, eating and drinking. In principle all this should be good but the contacts at my time of life always has a potential sad edge. I contacted my family on Christmas morning and all were well and preparing to enjoy their Christmas lunches. But what of those from whom I have heard nothing? When, many years ago, I was working as a volunteer at the Oxfam bookshop in Reading, the manageress said that if any of the older volunteers did not turn up when expected she just assumed they had died. If that was a bit cold-blooded it was not an unreasonable assumption. I shall of course follow up on my “absentees” but with a little trepidation.

Christmas began early for me, on the 13^th of December to be precise, when I went to the Christmas dinner organised by the Amitié Mollanaise. Smoked salmon, foie gras and confit de canard were all on offer and gratefully consumed. The village was already decked out with its Christmas lights, in blue and white, colours dear to the heart of a Chelsea football club supporter (but the less said about that perhaps the better).

On Christmas eve friend Sylvie invited me to join her and her extended family for their Christmas meal, again enjoyable for her daughter is a good cook, centred on pork and with enjoyable company to boot. The evening introduced me to what may be what may be a general practice or simply a family one. The children got their presents but not the adults. The adults don’t exchange presents but add some trinket to a collection for which they “fish” the next day. I must find out how common this is.

On Christmas day itself I went to Daniel’s for lunch with assorted friends; prawns, oysters and roast lamb. So on Boxing day it was down to me. I invited seven friends which meant that for space we had to eat in the large terrace room upstairs and also meant I got some of the exercise needed to burn off the calories consumed on the previous two days, carrying dishes up and down two floors. I’d bought prawns, oysters and a cold chicken and prepared some salads. We started with champagne and one of my friends had bought a good bottle of Gigondas to which I added a Gevrey Chambertin and a Pouilly Fumée. A friend also brought the traditional Yule log. So what’s not to like?

All in all that was a somewhat hectic Christmas but definitely an epicurean and enjoyable one. I think my stomach needs a rest for a few days. As to the 31^st, nothing is yet decided. It remains for me to follow up on those from whom I have heard nothing, with a little trepidation.

I’ve no idea what the new year will bring but, for myself, little if any deterioration in my vision and hearing. For others I wish peace, comfortable survival if prosperity is not a prospect, and goodwill.