Christmas celebrations

Now that all the dishes are done, and my fridge is beginning to look normal again, I can stop and congratulate all those who helped us put on quite a special Christmas lunch. Myles deserves a special thankyou - he not only had to put up with my anxiety, but also did an excellent job of host whilst I was working away in the kitchen.

With this my first year of Christmas and Gluten free, I managed to put together quite a spread, nearly all of which I could eat.Only the stuffing for the slow roasted pork was out of bounds. (although I did fight for my share of the fabulous crackling)

Thanks to Mum and Dad for assistance in preparations, Handle and Rebekha for the gluten free Christmas pudding, Ivan and Jeannie for the array of Salads, Pam for the nibbles (great hummus), Fiona for a fabulous flourless chocolate cake, and Lindsay for bread and Christmas cake.

But best of all was having the people we care most about, all able to share the day with us. Its family that make Christmas special and sometimes we get too caught up in the commercialism of Christmas, or even the traditions without taking the time to value what is truly special, family. A good friend once told me of a great piece of advice he had been given before his wedding, and it applies to this occasion just as well. "Make sure you take the time to just step back for a moment and take a mental picture of everyone having a great time. " otherwise the day just seems to go too fast!