New Christmas Traditions

This Christmas will be the first that my parents come to share in our home. Last year, they came over the weekend before Christmas, and we dished up some nice wintery venison stew and they had a great time, but this year will be the first that they get to share some of our Christmas traditions.

Ever since I officially "left home" after graduation, I have always tried to have Christmas in my own home, rather than heading back to my parents - with my ex, we always had Christmas Day with his brother and girlfriend/wife and then Boxing Day was split as fairly as possible between the two sets of parents (they only lived 30mins apart luckily).

With Hubby now, things are slightly more complicated as his folks live 3 hours away. Our first Christmas together was only a few days after we started dating, so I headed back to my parents for the first time in 4/5 years. It was not a fun Christmas. My brother and I did not get on. He made me cry a lot.

Over the following Christmases I have done one at home (even more disastrous as my brother was splitting up with his wife, and didn't even ring my parents to let them know he wasn't turning up for Christmas dinner...), and a couple with Hubby's family, and amazingly one at our own home, just the two of us.

My mother finds it hard to understand that as a grown woman with a family of my own (okay, so no kids, but the cats count!), Hubby and I want to start our own Christmas traditions in our own home. My sister always splits their Christmases on alternate years between her hubby's family in Ireland, and seeing my parents. That's fine for her, but I have to say I'm not that partial to family Christmases with my parents. I know that sounds harsh, but it's the same every year I return home. The same fights. The same accusations. My mother in tears by lunchtime. My brother refusing to apologise. My brother refusing to join in any games, and my mother in tears again. It's not fun.

Christmas at Hubby's is such a contrast - it's usually just the 4 of us, with an interlude with his sister and her family, but there is nice food, much lounging around and reading, and fun games late into the night.

So, Christmas at our house? Well, I'm hoping it will be a lot of fun this year.

We will start with a Christmas Eve Cheese Fondue - followed by Melting Chocolate Pots and a rather tasty dessert wine we've been saving. We'll play a few games, and maybe stay awake for Midnight Mass.

Christmas Day will involve a simple breakfast of croissants and juice as we don't want to fill up too much before the main event:

• Roast Turkey
• Bread Sauce and Cranberry Sauce (which my mother has insisted on making, but she does well!)
• Jewelled Pork Stuffing (in the freezer ready for defrosting and cooking)
• Steamed Green Beans and Carrots
• Roast Parsnips (possibly maple glazed, haven't decided yet)
• Roast Potatoes (which I am damn good at!)
• And a new venture: Roast Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta, Shallots and Chestnuts (based on something I saw at the Wholefoods Store in New York)
• Christmas Pudding, Cake and Mince Pies (all made from scratch, even the mincemeat, by Hubby's fair hands)

I think that's everything!

Boxing Day will be made of brunch with Creme Brulee French Toast (recipe from our stay in the Adirondacks), with bacon and Maple Syrup... followed by a walk somewhere locally before my folks head home again.

That then gives Hubby and I a couple of days to have to ourselves before we are back to work again and then up to his parents' for New Year's until the 5th.

Phew. Looking forward to it. Hoping that if my parents have a lovely time, they'll put less pressure on me going home for Christmas in the future...