Happy Christmas, etc.

It’s all in the details they say, and it seems to hold for Christmas in England as compared with the States. Taking a general picture, they’re very similar—they’re both out to ostensibly celebrate the birth of Jesus but have actually turned into gift orgies, families are at the center, and there are lots of movies on the tele.

But like I said, it’s all in the details. In England, the potatoes tend to be roasted, not mashed; brussel sprouts take center stage in the Christmas dinner (and there is much debate as to whether or not to criss-cross the bottoms of the sprouts before cooking. No cross = crisp center but will offer little protection from vampires if such an eventuality were to arise); ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ has a different tune (not to mention that they pronounce it Beth-lee-hem and not Beth-le-hem); and ribbon to tie up presents is surprisingly scarce (though apparently I was just looking in the wrong places. I was told to try a haberdashery instead of my local supermarket).

Differences or not, I did very much enjoy my Christmas and Boxing Day which I spent this year with a British friend who I knew from China and her family.

On the 23rd, we “got the religious stuff out of the way” so we could have a clear conscience for all the drinking that was about to ensue. We did so by going to THE Canterbury Cathedral (yes, of Chaucerian fame) for the carol service. It was quite spectacular, and the building itself is awe-inspiring. My friend’s dad pointed out that it was nice to actually see the church in use instead of just touring the building, and I couldn’t have agreed more.

Then, for Christmas Eve, we trekked over to Leeds Castle where my friend is going to get married as soon as she finds a rich husband with whom to do so. Again, a lovely experience that involved a magnificent library that left me drooling (and angry with a couple of Chinese tourists who were actually taking down the books and posing with them for pictures. If I only knew how to say ‘greasy paws’ in Chinese, I might have said something), a trip through the estate maze and grotto, and a watching such interesting birds as an English Eagle Owl and some black swans.

Christmas Day rolled around, and my friend and her dad headed up to London to pick up her sister while I stayed behind with her mom and another friend to finish the Christmas meal. When they came back it was presents, presents, presents then onto drinking and the meal. They had the British-style crackers that contained scratch cards inside (I even won £10!), and whistles for all so that we could play Christmas carols. It was all good fun, and we even sat around the piano and sang a few just for good measure.

We also, of course, celebrated Boxing Day (no I still don’t know what that is), whereby we went to Knole Estate (another of Henry VII’s haunts with Leeds Castle) for a walk around the park. We got sufficiently muddy and saw the most adorable Bambi bounding around the park. Then it was home to fall asleep in front of “Bed Knobs and Broomsticks,” before another dinner with more relatives. We got on the subject of the veil, and we went at it, which is all good fun. Leave it to me or my friends to actually have opinions! Or maybe it was the wine…

Happy holidays to you, my faithful(?) readers. And best wishes in the new year!!