Saturday 10 December 2016

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.

17 comments:

  1. I didnt know that Greek people decorate boats! How interesting

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    1. My daughter has a big model boat in their living room which they string lights around. Down in the main square there is always a big Xmas tree but also along the wharf there will be 'parked' a traditional fishing boat decked out in flags and lights

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  2. I didn't know about th boats either. And I'm Greek!
    We have always had a traditional Aussie Christmas
    Speaking of the great southern lands.
    Do you make an Aussie PAV or a kiwi one lol nope let's not start that argument

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    1. Aha our pavlova is griwi but I can't leave out the groz's. Half our family live downunder and Aussie Dot's pavlova was one of the best I've eaten....30 years ago lol. Could say more but won't..it's Xmas!

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  3. Scenes that are being reenacted all over the globe. I shall wait a while to put mine up; I don't like Christmas to last too long.

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    1. Wish we could wait to put ours up. When we were kids it went up on Xmas eve and came down on Jan 6th before the evil witch ripped it to pieces

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  4. Is your house a traditional Greek house? No decorations up here. Hoping nobody wants to get them out and start putting them up.

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    1. Definitely not traditional though the traditional head of the house wishes it was more so. When I first came to Greece in the 70s Greeks didn't even celebrate. It was a day to attend church and the name day of CHristos and Christina. Then we were swamped by Europe and the west....but presents still arrive at new year, except in our house.

      I could quite happily ignore Xmas but I'm not allowed to. Every year I swear I'll become a Buddhist .

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  5. PS house style isn't traditional either. Our old family house was. White walls, lots of concrete, bathroom outside till we covered the balcony and incorporated it into the rest of the house. my daughter lives their now. She can't do many changes because the harbour and area around it have strict laws to keep the island in the traditional style. Not a comfortable style. Families of ten were brought up in two rooms.
    Sorry, rambling as usual.
    By the way, I'm not a year older than, 10 years alas.

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  6. I wish I could take a sleeping tablet and wake up on the 26th of December. They call it St Stephens Day in Ireland and Boxing Day in the UK. I think Christmas is for children and when they grow up it loses it's sparkle.

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  7. Buddhist mother?????You wish...We decorated our tree on the 26 of November...If your not a good girl i will decorate your tree next year on the 26/11!!!!

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  8. Interesting reading all the comments about different traditions and how with the influx of Europeans, the Greek now celebrate Christmas differently. I still don't have my tree up yet and it's bothering me. I feel like I am very late decorating this year. -Jenn

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    1. You'll probably be reading more in the next week or so . The greek traditions are still observed

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  9. Thank you for the link Linda, it is very helpful for me:) i read your blog from the begining and love it so much.(i love everything Greek, I visited Rohdos,lesbos,Tinos,Simi and Kastelorizo, in seperate times some years ago.)

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    1. I'm so glad you enjoy reading the blog. You have certainly visited a lot of islands....more than me!!! I'm sure you'll be back to visit another Greek island next summer!!!

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