This was quite the unconventional Christmas. Last Christmas morning I was snowshoeing with my brother in Seattle. This Christmas morning I was baking banana bread with my cousin in London. She was staying with her grandmother before a trip to India (sound like a familiar meetup?) and I met her in London for a British Christmas. Cheerio!
I think Europe does Christmas right. I did a lot of traveling in December; enough to get a glance of what Christmas is like in Germany, Spain and now Britain. I must say that I like the style.
Jenga games
London has Christmas markets too – including one near the Thames that was modeled after a German market. Here I am at a Christmas market in England feeling like I got the MORE authentic experience at the real German Christmas market a few weeks ago. I haven’t ever had a month quite like this.
Cologne Christmas Market at Southbank Centre
My cousin and I attended high tea at the restaurant in the atrium of the Wallace Collection. While we did the full high tea including the mini sandwiches, I would have been perfectly satisfied with just the clotted cream and scones. That was the perfect snack after I dealt with the immense crowds at Oxford Street (yes, two days before Christmas. I really AM crazy).
Christmas in London also means ice-skating. Skate rinks pop up everywhere around London. The hour-long blocks are expensive, but so worth it. We tried to go skating at the Somerset House, but they were booked. Ergo, I settled on skating next to the Tower of London on Christmas Eve.
Skating at the Somerset House
Skating at the Tower of London
For Christmas today, we ate pheasant stuffed with apples and thyme. We finished with the marzipan I brought from Toledo. Then we hooked up a Skype conversation. I don’t feel so far away from all my family who are visiting with my aunt and uncle in San Francisco this Christmas. Yes, I would love more than anything to be with them, but this Christmas, Skype will have to do.
So …. Merry Christmas my friends and family and anyone else who reads my blog. Lots of love and hugs on this very unique Christmas. I’ll send you some figgy pudding (once I find out what exactly that is.)