Yet another Christmas party with a fancy festive theme.
“The third one in three weeks!” exclaimed Koji, half bemused and half annoyed (Grinch that he is).
“Yes, but you know everyone at this one, or just about know them, and we only have to make one thing each” replied I, contemplating the theme. “Also, we agreed to go way back in October. Or November. Or something.”
“Well in that case, I’m making jelly.”
“Peace, joy & a time of noël – that’s what I’m wishing for this Christmas…” said I, my voice trailing off as I thought of all those who’d be lacking in one, if not all three, at this time of year.
“That’s not very helpful” replied Koji, just a little shortly.
He always gets more than a little flustered around this time of year as the frenzy of shopping and buying and wrapping and receipt saving commences.
“Well, perhaps some nice earrings then?” said I, in an attempt to mollify the Grinch.
“How about some coal?”
It has become tradition, over the last ten or so years since the girls & I left school, for us to gather for a meal around Christmas time.
What started as a fairly simple wrap-your-own-Vietnamese-rice-paper-rolls party (complete with tinsel halos and seasonally appropriate attire) has now become a full blown, Shez-hosted, annual pot luck affair with a specially selected culinary theme to boot.
Which, of course (for me) means an excuse to dress the table.
“What’s in this?” asked the group, peering at the dark brown, ruby studded slab in front of them.
“Chocolate and blackberries and gingerbread. It’s pretty spicy and it tastes like Christmas!” said I, settling into my position on the floor.
“What kind of cake was it again?” queried a latecomer, physically present but distracted.
“Gingerberry” replied another, with the gravitas that only someone who has no idea at all can possess.
“Yeah. That.”
We put up our Christmas tree today, much to the ire of Koji who tossed a half-confused, half-annoyed “It’s still November!” in my direction after I sent him a picture complete with an exclamation mark filled caption.
(He’s right, of course, but Thanksgiving is tomorrow, there’s less than five weeks left til C-Day and I’ve already done half my shopping and am sick of keeping it stuffed in the back of my wardrobe. So there.)
Also, I’d gotten a little season-happy a week or so back and started my Christmas baking.
