How was everyone’s Christmas? Our little countryside cottage was packed to the rafters with my family – my poor brother had to sleep on the sofa, but he wasn’t too fussed by it. We had the most wonderful day celebrating baby Aiden’s first Christmas, plus my family stayed for 3 nights so it really made it a big event.
Our festivities began on Christmas Eve with a banquet of a cheese board. This was much deserved after prepping all of the veg for Christmas lunch beforehand. We feasted on artisan cheeses, cured meats, honey and mustard cocktail sausages, fresh fruit, crackers and bread. We also had a fancy champagne cocktail called a Kir Royale.
Christmas Day morning was spent playing and getting lots of snuggles from my little Christmas pudding. He was in such a great mood…I have such a smiley baby boy! Alfie and I created a family Christmas tradition a few years back that everyone has to wear a Christmas jumper to lunch and there were some great ones in our house this year. We even took a Christmas jumper family selfie to mark the occasion and everyone’s efforts at finding awesome jumpers. I wore a lovely skating robin one from Next.
Being a professional chef, my brother can’t help but take over the kitchen, even on his day off. He single-handedly cooked the entire Christmas lunch…well we pitched in a little! He made cola ham, garlic and thyme lamb, sprouts with pancetta and chestnuts, pigs in blankets, stuffing, honey roasted parsnips, orange carrots, roast potatoes and a cracking gravy. This was later (…much later!) followed by his homemade sticky toffee pudding and organic ice cream.
After lunch we all opened our gifts, Aiden went first and with the help of his daddy and opened his personalised bauble that we got him for the tree. It’s a gorgeous hand-blown glass bauble with a glass reindeer inside with a Christmas greeting printed on the outside, love this! I got seriously spoilt this year and adore all of my gifts, although the most precious gift I received was from my baby boy, a Tiffany’s freshwater pearl bracelet which I will cherish forever. I also got some gorgeous vintage pajamas and a robe, which Aiden thought it would be fun to projectile vomit over so these, unfortunately, are not pictured here.
After our gift opening session we got out the Monopoly board and played a tense game, I was first out of the game and Alfie won after an epic couple of hours dominating the board. I enjoyed a white-hot chocolate with whipped cream and mini marshmallows whilst I watched the game.
By Boxing Day my brother had cabin fever, so we took a trip to Bicester Village to look around the sales. Although it was pretty busy and there we lots of queues outside some of the shops, he had a great time spending his Christmas money. I didn’t find anything for myself, but hoping to hit the online sales later today to see if anything takes my fancy.
This has to be one of my favourite Christmas’s yet. I feel so blessed to have such an amazing family and Aiden has filled our house with so much joy and love this Christmas. I’m already excited for Christmas next year, where I’m sure my baby boy will be pulling the decorations off the tree and running around the house causing absolute chaos!
How was your Christmas this year? What did you get up to? Who was the Christmas day chef in your household?
This is so lovely Jemma! We went for the Christmas Eve cheeseboard too (with some rather smelly cheese bought back from Paris, so good) and monopoly, so much fun! Have a wonderful Sunday 🙂
I bet those cheeses from Paris were lovely despite the smell. We’ve been battling with the smell of cheese every time we open the fridge door!
This is so so wonderful, and it sounds like an amazing family affair! My dad’s usually the chef when it comes to christmas and looking at all this food makes me want another christmas dinner :p It’s going to be so great to read about your post about next year’s christmas and to see how much your baby has grown! 🙂 x
I’m looking forward to seeing how next year differs to this one with Aiden’s development. Christmases are never going to be the same again!
I love going to Bicester Village. I got some great items from Cath Kidston. Glad you had a great Christmas.
They have some great deals at Bicester, I’m lucky that it’s right on my doorstep.
Mmm to the cheese board!
And oh dear to the projectile vomiting! Glad you had a lovely Christmas 🙂
Thanks Maria, I hope you had a lovely Christmas too.
So sweet! Merry Christmas! 🙂
Merry Christmas Lauren!
It looks like you had an amazing Christmas with your little boy. Happy New Year 🙂
It was amazing! Happy New Year!
Aww how sweet is baby Aiden by the tree! Gorgeous looking present haul Jemma and it sounds like such a wonderful Christmas.
Thanks Claire, it really was a special Christmas this year. Looking at your post it looks like you had a wonderful time too.
Sounds like a wonderful Christmas. We’ve been staying in a cottage in Devon with lots of extended family, it’s been lovely and relaxing.
OH WOW that’s so cool that you had a professional chef to help out!! And that he’s part of your family hehe 😉 The meal looks amazing.
I helped cook Christmas dinner with my dad. We muddled it together – no way near as amazing looking as yours tho! Sounds like a lovely Christmas day.