On the Eve of Christmas

Having set out early in anticipation of a bad journey, my uncle & grandmother made excellent progress and engendered a minor panic by arriving slightly ahead of schedule. It was, apparently, the clearest journey up the M1 my uncle could remember having. Once lunch was finished we had a lightish lunch — parsnip soup, bread, salad, and pâté for the carnivores — before setting down to listen to, cook with, or fall asleep during, the carol service from King's College.

( Mater making chestnut stuffing... )

Afterwards the more efficient members of the family wrapped their remaining presents — I usually leave my wrapping until the morning of the 25th! — while I made the traditional Christmas Eve fondue for supper — mixing grated cheese into hot wine isn't really much of a chore & it's the least I can do given the amount of cooking the parents have got coming up over the next couple of days.