xmas '16 begins

Grandchildren gathered.  The Christmas tree is up.   Decorations have been hung all over the place.  Now we can relax till the 24th, enjoy some spicy hot wine in the evenings (me, not the traditional person who prefers raki).  Lists will be made and unmade.  Will we eat fatty pork or lean turkey or what I would prefer, a plain old roast chook with crisp english potatoes and a tray of stuffing just like that on 'The English Kitchen' blog.....see link below.   Marie's recipes are always reliable and guaranteed to please.  She was a professional cook and knows her craft.
https://theenglishkitchen.blogspot.gr/2016/11/the-best-bread-dressing.html#more

The english traditional people here just love their stuffing and there is never enough when it is just stuffed inside the bird.  This way we can all enjoy plenty of thymey/sagey herby bread stuffing and have leftovers.  Oh and loads of gravy.  We have Bisto this year for the gravy.  No xmas puds this time or trifle.  I shall make a chocolate log and maybe a pavlova.  

And yorkshire puddings!  I need a list.  Can't forget the yorkshire puds, now I know how to make them . 

But I get ahead of myself.  

The tree.

Tree ornaments go up

And xmas balls hang off the beams

It helps to have tall people in a house like this

The girls

And the boys.  It's their turn this year to hang the red poinsettia flower at the top of the tree. 

In amongst the branches with the red balls are three NZ lambs, an All Black and a kiwi.  

The Christmas tree is not a greek tradition so we made our own with the poinsettia flower instead of a star and NZ animals instead of a creche.

Greeks traditionally decorate a boat.