We do love getting Christmas cards, even if it is a bit old hat. Oh deary me, Alice just checked up on that common phrase, and it turns out it used to be rather rude in the 18th century, as described in Grose's Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. In fact Blogger had a bit of trouble loading it to be checked. You can see it here, however.Anyway, this was our favourite card, from a very dear friend we've known for simply ages. It arrived among the last batch the postie delivered. Don't they work hard at this time of year!
We liked it so much Alice put it in pride of place on her mantlepiece. Do click to see it in its full glory - and us too. This is slightly a bigger image than we sometimes include, so make the most of it.
On Christmas Eve we had our "lunch" rather late (around 4:00 pm) and watched Scrooge: a 1951 version of Charles Dickens' story, A Christmas Carol. There have been many film versions. The old "Bah! Humbug!" miser, Ebeneezer, is visited by the three spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come, who show him the error of his ways. Some of it is pretty silly, but some is actually rather scarey!
This image is really a cheat, since the TV screen doesn't photograph
well, and we kept getting the flash reflection in it. So Alice found an
online still from the film, and made it the right size to fit over the original. These are the sort of tasks she just loves doing!!The second picture is an illustration depicting Marley's ghost appearing to Scrooge, from the original publication of Dickens' A Christmas Carol in 1843.
A whole chicken is too much (and too much fuss) for just ourselves, but the breasts stuffed with orange and onion are Alice's own tasty invention.The stuffing rolls wrapped in bacon are a real treat as well. Alice's father used to make them when she was a little girl, and they do taste most yummy indeed.
And most of it got eaten (very late) on Christmas Eve too!
So Xmas Day itself was given over to relaxing, watching TV or good old Game of Thrones box sets, while nibbling the leftovers, enjoying a tipple and a selection of delicious chocolates.
Here's hoping you enjoyed the holiday in your own way, too.
