Close to midnight, and I am about to call it a day for this Christmas Eve. It was lovely, but also a lot of work for my wife and I. She has already gone to bed, but I will wait until the dishwasher finishes for the fifth time today, and put the last round away. The house looked nice (still does) and I think people had a relaxed time and a bit of fun. We had a ugly hat competition this year and after the voting, my mother in law one a close competition with her grandson, with a hand-made, knitted beanie, with octopus tentacles and a knitted candle on the head.
A well-deserved win.
We ended up with 16 people as guests, and we run ours a little differently than my sister in law, as we do it in stages, instead of one big sitting. The food is pretty much set by tradition in Finland, with cold fish dishes served first, then the ham with their baked casseroles, and finally coffee and dessert.
Since we were washing plates and cutlery after each course, we moved everyone into the loungeroom, with the first break being a family "singalong" (not my cup of tea), accompanied by a piano normally, but this year, it was a guitar. One side of the family is far more enthusiastic about this, than the other. I am on the less enthusiastic side of things, though at least the women who sing have decent voices.
Can't say the same for my Father in law.
My wife's brother in law left halfway through the fish course, as he was called into the hospital for a surgery, which might be about the fifth time at Christmas in less than ten Christmases together. Sometimes things go well, sometimes not, but he has given a few people "Christmas miracles". Normally he is gone a few hours, if not all night, but he returned about an hour later and halfway through the songs.
"Oh, I came back too soon."
After singing, it was onto the "main event" with the ham, which is my favorite thing about the Finnish Christmas food, by a long way. My wife made it and the frosting was out of mustard and breadcrumbs. It was good. Or should I say "is" good, because there is about 3 kilos of it left.
However, the highlight of my night was after so many years saying that all the casseroles taste the same, my wife turned to her niece and asked, "I am not sure which one this is."
I told you 
After filling up for the second time, we had a short break whilst the older one of my wife's nephews went and dressed up so he could make his entrance as Santa. He's is a good Santa (with a pillow to fill him out), as he is funny and has a very quick wit. Smallsteps loved it and played along, even though she knew it was her cousin. Santa also put on a bit of a Christmas concert, with a guitar.
And then of course, after the visit, it was time for the kids to open the copious amounts of gifts they get these days. Personally, I think it is far too many, even if they are useful ones like what Smallsteps got, because it is like a flood all at once, meaning that the attention is split too far.
First world problems.
The adults only got one each, through a secret Santa lottery. I got my Father in Law this year, and bought him books, because that is the only gift anyone ever gets him. It was either that, or some joke gift which would get a momentary laugh, but then be forgotten. We had a 50€ limit, so one of the uncles bought his niece 16 packets of coffee - enough for perhaps a year and a half. That will be remembered.
And then dessert and coffee.
It was pretty simple this year, with cheese, crackers and one cake, which was really good. After eating several rounds of each course, people were pretty full, but still managed to squeeze in some more, before retiring back to the loungeroom for more talking, whilst I cleaned up. I can't really talk with most of the people anyway, so I didn't mind hiding away in the kitchen - which worked excellently, for its first real stress test.
And by ten, people started to put on their coats and head out into the night, full of Christmas food, but not so much cheer. None in the group are big drinkers, and since there were a few cars with designated drivers, it wasn't a bad thing. It just means that there is more wine for me, or another occasion. New Year's is coming.
2024 will be huge, right?
For all those about to celebrate proper Christmas, have a good one!
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]
