Monday, 2022-12-19
Before the pandemic, every year for the past 15 years or so, it was almost certain we would gather at one of my expat friend's houses for Christmas dinner, and it became an annual tradition. However, since 2020, all gathering events including the Christmas dinner have all been canceled. A very close friend started the Christmas dinner tradition again this year, but at an earlier date as some of our friends are going away for a family holiday in the next few days. The dinner date was yesterday, Sunday, December 18 which coincides with the final of the soccer World cup 2022.
Beautifully set table.
An assortment of snacks comprises nachos with salsa and guacamole sauces, Thai salad, saucisson, pâté et chorizo, crackers and cheese, salmon, roast pork, curry samosa, pastry with minced meat and siomay (dumplings).
The most favorite and popular roast pork my wife roasted for 3 hours.
Special request by the women, homemade beef balls with tofu filled with meat, and deep-fried wonton.
The beverages.
This year Christmas dinner was held in a much simpler setup without any specific dress code. The gathering started at 14:00 in the afternoon. The host provided us with a matching T-Shirt for everyone. There were in total of 5 couples, minus 1 person that was on an out-of-town assignment. We brought a kilo of homemade Chinese roast pork. Dinner was set for around 18:30 - 19:00. We had snacks/appetizers in the afternoon, chilled out outdoors by the pools, and had some cold beers. The last time the boys were together was the first week of September when we had a Monday golf that we wanted to turn into a monthly thing but that did not happen. We were just shooting the breeze, catching up with stories, and having a good laugh together while the women were busy preparing some snacks in the kitchen. Around 15:00 we started with snacks and cracked open a few bottles of rose wine. It was refreshing to have on a hot afternoon.
The boys and girls all wearing matching T-Shirt.
Pick your poison, red or green?
Around 16:00 the host invited us to taste the cocktail that he had been experimenting with since 9:00 in the morning followed by making Instagram Reels on the staircase. It was fun.
Simple yet delicious home cooked dinner.
Boeuf bourguignon, gratin dauphinois, bread and red wine.
A surprise birthday cake.
At around 19:00 we started dinner. The dinner menu was also simple, boeuf bourguignon, gratin dauphinois, and bread accompanied by red wine. For dessert, we had a surprise birthday cake for one of the boys whose birthday is on December 23rd but would be flying back home for Christmas in the next couple of days. He was totally taken by the surprise and that was also one of the reasons why we held the Christmas dinner earlier than usual.
The women were chilling out in the gazebo by the pool.
After dinner, we still had some time to kill before the 22:00 World cup final. The women had fun making more Reels while the boys started on the Whiskey and Vodka. Around 21:30, my wife had to leave as it was already past her bedtime. She is an early riser and has to wake up every morning around 5:00 to receive vegetable delivery from our supplier. She had been trying to order an online taxi since 21:00 but to no avail, as her order kept being canceled by the driver. We happen to live only about 4 km away and that may be the reason why it's so hard to find a taxi, too short of a distance. She was thinking about taking a motorbike taxi instead, but I could not let her do that. So, I decided to drive her home first and come back to watch the game. I drove her back around 21:30 and was back again by 22:00, just in time for the match. Another 3 friends also popped up to watch the game with us so it was getting a bit crowded.
While watching the first half, I felt a bit burned out. I am sure the beers, rose wine, cocktails, and red wine had something to do with that. The first half ended with Argentina leading by 2–0, and that was when I called it the night and decided to go home.
It was a great day spent with close friends. We had a lot of fun, good laughs, and good food. While our children have all grown-up and live far away, all we have now are friends. We cherish every moment spent together. I hope you all have a great and merry Christmas with your families and loved ones. Keep safe and stay healthy.
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A baby boomer who's trying to embrace and adapt to the new digital world. Worked for over 30 years in the IT industry before retiring and now run an online vegetable delivery and hydroponics equipment business. Enjoy traveling, cooking, writing, playing pool, and all IT-related stuff. You're always welcome to leave a comment or feedback, and an upvote or reblog is also greatly appreciated. |
