Christmas '08

The new year is almost upon us! We had a great time celebrating Christmas with a couple of friends at our place on the eve of Christmas. Needless to say, I had my hands pretty full for the whole week before this event, taking care of the baby and preparing for this roast lunch. In true Aussie style (as it was for Rob's family anyway), we made sure there was an excess of food to ensure that everyone could have their fill, and then some. The turkey turned out well, for a frozen unbrined turkey, and we all enjoyed good company. Christmas eve and Christmas day this year fell on weekdays, and since Japan does not recognise Christmas as a holiday, it limited who we could invite (Rob had to take leave from work). Joining us was Kim who had flown in to Tokyo from the Noto (we realised that she had celebrated the past two Christmases with us in Japan), and my ex-student Yuki and her cute 16-month-old daughter. Yuki had not eaten roast turkey before, so it was great introducing the traditional Aussie-style Christmas meal to her. Yuki brought a delicious seafood quiche, and Kim brought "Christmas" cake, which in Japan does not mean the traditional fruit cake, but usually some sort of layered sponge heavily frosted with whipped cream. I'd planned to do a self-saucing chocolate pudding for dessert, but I was so thankful for Kim's cake because I was already running around like a headless chook trying to get everything together.

Anyway, I hope that everyone had a great Christmas, and I wish you an awesome and fantastic Year 2009!

Zak in the play pen, enjoying the warm heated floor. Yes, the floor is heated! Just like the heated toilet seat, a blessing during the cold winter months:


The snacks table loaded with fruit mince pies, choc almonds, shortbread, cheese, crackers, giant popcorn, vege sticks + homemade dip, and dried fruits and nuts. It was a popular spot to wait for lunch to be ready:


Rob carving the turkey; and the table with some of the food. The turkey was of course too large for four adults, but it was the smallest I could find at 4kg or 9 pounds, which incidentally is Zak's birthweight!


The gorgeous seafood quiche, curtesy of Yuki, and the chocolate cake that Kim brought:


At one point before lunch, I couldn't see Yuki's little girl anywhere.. but here she was, enjoying the warmth of the heated floor. I thought it was just so cute!