Christmas Is Strewn Across the Foyer

The foyer looks more lived in than I’ve ever seen it. Decorations are still up on the art and door frames, the little gold tree has just been switched off, the table is covered in mostly empty glasses, bottles, pastries, Uno cards, a green poker mat, and the remains of Christmas crackers and presents. The chairs have all been left askew and the sulphuric scent of blown-out candles hangs in the air. Amazingly, the kitchen’s nearly spotless once again (thanks to Agneta, who cleaned while the rest of us watched/sang along to Sweeney Todd in Ryan's room). It’s just after 6 in the morning now, and the full force of Christmas seems to have reached its climax and leveled out.

I didn’t go crazy with my camera today, but my memory card has got images from last night’s prolonged present-wrapping (done in Oscar & Chloe’s old room; I used most of my time typing back while Kim, Jason, Kaitlyn, and everyone else at home talked to me on a webcam) the award-giving ceremony for the London Swimming Club’s annual Serpentine swim (though none from the event, unfortunately), and a few snapshots from the many phases of the Christmas dinner, from last-minute prep to aftermath. It’s not a complete picture, but the results include plenty of happy faces.

I’m sleepy in a very nice way… exhausted from activity and still at a point when I can easily close my eyes and expect them to stay closed for a good while. So I think I’ll finish here for now. What a novelty to call the now post-midnight day “Boxing Day”. Sounds like a good day to rest.


I must mention, however, that it was something of a Christmas miracle that I was able to find a whole chicken today. Yesterday I went grocery shopping with Ryan, hoping to finish up on ingredients for the dinner. We went from Queensway to Shepherd’s Bush to Marble Arch and back, and not once did we find a chicken (among other things). Not that we came home empty-handed (far from it). But even though Agneta’s a vegetarian, and we weren’t 100% sure that Kate would be able to make it, the missing item meant something – to me, anyway.

[This morning I woke from about two-three hours of sleep (twice… there were two alarms, an hour apart), but like on other Christmas mornings, I woke with enough optimism to shake off the sleepy feeling. As also on other Christmas mornings, the familiar view outside looked somehow novel; the air felt a little fresher, too. Agneta was already awake, and just as I was rising from bed, was heading out for a run through the park (for the second time ever, I think). I remembered the Serpentine swim race Ryan had mentioned the night before, and when Agneta came back, I made some coffee to-go and convinced Agneta to go with me to see crazy people racing in a muddy, freezing lake. We missed the race by ten minutes or so, but, as mentioned before, I got a couple pics of the aftermath.

For the rest of the morning, I had a mission.] I prayed to some higher power that the dinner would go off without a hitch, and that something of that cheesy “Christmas spirit” movies are always going on about could be restored. For God’s sake, it’s friggin’ Christmas, and for the most part it felt like I was the only one willing organize anything. Last night, I had to literally beg Agneta to leave the empty bedroom behind and join Ryan and I in watching A Christmas Story (with homemade cocoa and caramel chocolates!). At one point, she even left the room. I don’t know if it comes from having different values or what, but sometimes… jeeze, Agneta! I really felt insulted. Anyway, the point is… today, after searching through numerous Asian stores and the local Spar (the only places open on Queensway), it felt like Santa himself had delivered a chicken to me when I found a Halal market with a butchery open today. I went home with my own made-up Christmas carols of joy bouncing around in my head, just barely able to keep a stupid grin off my face.

Agneta slept till 7, and Ryan slept during a lot of the day, too, though he also helped me cook (and in his defense, he’s been ill). I spent hours in the kitchen pulling together a feast worthy of home, watching downloaded Christmas classics all the while (e.g., the"Grinch", "The Year Without A Santa Claus", & Home Alone). The phase “If you build it, they will come” echoed though my mind once, and every time I got a text I prayed it wasn’t bad news from Kate. But sure enough, even though all public transport was shut down and a cab fare was rather pricey, she came.

In the last steps of cooking, everyone lent a hand, and I swear that when I tasted everything on my plate, I was transported back home to every Christmas I’ve ever enjoyed. I’m proud to say that everyone enjoyed the meal, and quite a few extra helpings were had afterwards. The leftovers are being looked forward to as well.

Untraditional though this Christmas was, I had an unforgettable night. I hope tomorrow is full of rest, leftovers, and card games. I was even sad for a bit, but even now, with a new morning’s sun just waiting to rise above the horizon, the warmth of an evening well spent remains.

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(NOTE: Sorry for the messy, long-winded post... )