Christmas Weekend

What a lovely weekend we have both had! Lots of good food, drink, time off from work and great company from our friends. We really have had a wonderful Christmas!

I'm back to work this evening and am looking forward to playing the show. I feel like my body needs to get moving! I can't over indulge forever :-)
I've been spoiled far too much, I have really over done the chocolates that my Mum sent over for me!

Instead of going back to our families, Dennis and I spent Christmas together in Hamburg. We decided to stay here as I had work on the 26th. We didn't want to spend all of our free time at the airport or on a train so took it nice and easy this year.
It would have been lovely to go back to my family, and have one of my families traditional Christmas'. Or to go visit with Dennis' family in Holland, maybe we can do that next year?!

December 23rd
We spent the day getting the apartment prepared for Christmas Dinner the following day. Making the apartment nice and tidy, stocking up on food and making final Christmassy touches.
Once all of the chores were done we headed into the city for gluhwein with our friends. This was the first time this year that I really had a good look around at the Christmas markets. It was nice to know that I had finished work for a few days and could really enjoy and take in all of the festivities.

Everywhere looked so beautiful and festive. The markets look so traditional and you can not help be caught up with the spirit of Christmas once you catch a glimpse of Christmassy hamburg!

The markets here in Hamburg have many different types of stalls. They sell many gifts from puppets and wooden toys, to homemade jewellery and Christmas decorations.

Gorgeous handmade Nutcrackers.

 

Hundreds of handmade Christmas ornaments.

I love to look around at all of gorgeous gifts but I have to confess that my favourite thing about going to the market is getting to sample many different types of delicious food.
The food is all very rustic and ranges from barbequed meats and sausages to melted cheese scraped piping hot onto crusty bread. Mmmm! So yummy! If you close your eyes whilst standing in the city you can smell that it is Christmas:

Sweet Ginger Bread.

Yummy grilled sausages and fresh crusty bread.

Of course there is also the gluhwein! You can not go to the markets with out having a steaming hot mug of this Christmas treat. I love it! Not only does it tastes yummy, it warms my hands in the cold winter evenings. It also makes me a tad tipsy!

Steaming hot gluhwein, Delicious!

A couple of mugs of gluhwein along with the company of Dennis and our good friends made for a fun and festive evening. The perfect start to our Christmas weekend.

Christmas Eve.
I got a little carried away with the gluhwein last night and the evening ended with a stint in a karaoke bar! Once I start with karaoke You can not get me off of that stage! I was a bit of a microphone hog and by the end of the night was a complete 'Hot Mess!'

I woke up a little worse for wear but managed to shake it off after a nice big coffee, which was good as we had lots to get on with!
Our friends were coming over in the afternoon for Christmas dinner and Dennis and I had the apartment to prepare and lots of food to be cooked. Working like a dynamic duo Dennis and I got the place looking spic and span and food prepared all before our friends arrived.

Our Christmas table.

We had a perfect feast. I made the food that was traditional to my Christmas with my family back in England. A nice roast dinner, lots of vegetables, meat and potatoes.
We started the meal off with roasted mushrooms cooked with onion marmalade and grilled goats cheese. I was really proud of this as it was 'truly scrumptious'.

We followed the mushrooms with a main course of roasted chicken, sausages wrapped in bacon, lots of vegetables, roast potatoes and lashings of gravy.

For desert we had a favourite of mine, Mon Chou Cake. Dennis always makes the Mon Chou cake, it is so delicious with its biscuit base, cream centre and topping of nice sweet cherries. We also had a tasty "cookie cake" that our friend Terry had made for us. DELICIOUS!

 

We washed the meal down with Champagne and Cosmopolitans. Terry was our cocktail maker for the evening. The cosmos definitely added a little flare to our dinner!

After dinner we all sat around and opened gifts that we had all bought for each other.
Dennis and I had a gorgeous milk jug, a very cool class pen from the Christmas market and a lovely handmade candle bought for us.

We gave homemade gifts to each of our friends. I made a big white blanket for our good friends Terry and Stefan. I forgot to take a completed picture of it, so here is one half way through making.

Dennis made a delightful crocheted pig for our friend Joe. Joe had been asking for a crocheted pig for many months and was very happy with his gift! We also forgot to take a finished picture of the cute little pig, This is picture is from the pattern and can be found at deliciouscrochet.com.

We all really had a lovely evening! A perfect Christmas Eve sat by the tree talking, laughing, eating good food and enjoying delicious drinks! An evening of indulgence!

Christmas Day.
We slept like babies after our big feast and woke up the next morning to open the gifts that Dennis and I had bought for each other.
Dennis Really spoiled me this year and bought me a gift voucher for the craft store. A new computer game, which I really wanted! A jumper with a very cute message on the front. Adele's concert DVD, And a gorgeous assortment of yummy coloured yarn!!!

No doubt I will be sharing with you very soon my ideas on what I am going to make with this gorgeous array of coloured  yarn! Can't wait to start something!

I bought Dennis a couple of books. One of them being Cute and Easy Crochet by Nicki Trent. We haven't had a moment to  give any of the patterns a try. But from flicking through the pages and looking at the gorgeous pictures, I am sure we will have alot of fun making some of the lovely projects.

I also bought Dennis some skeins of 'Andes' by Debbie Bliss. Its lovely and soft. I am looking forward to seeing what stunning creation Dennis comes up with.

Dennis' final present was a  big surprise and I was so excited to give it to him. I love to see his face when he opens presents, his reaction is priceless. 

I bought him a new camera. He really wanted this camera but was not expecting to get it for Christmas. So it was nice to treat him and give him a Christmas Day surprise.

Dennis has a  real passion for taking photographs and Im sure you will be seeing some of his work throughout the blog very soon.

 

Christmas day was very lazy for us. We didn't cook a big meal as we had eaten a feast the night before. Instead we ate some of the left overs from the Christmas Eve meal along with mince pies and other Christmas treats. 

It was a lovely relaxing day of playing with our new presents. Me on my computer game and Dennis fiddling with his new gadget.

I hope that you all have had a lovely Christmas and continue to enjoy the festivities into the New Year?! 

I can't believe this year is coming to an end, Its flown by! There's still time to enjoy the Christmas tree for a few more days! I'll be sad when we have take it down! 

If we do not get chance to speak before the New Year. Dennis and I wish each and every one of you a happy and Healthy New Year!!! Enjoy the rest of the holidays!

Dennis xxx

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