Christmas Day - The best day of the year

This is a retrospective post about Christmas Day 2011. I didn't do it straight away as I had a lot of photos to sort through and I wanted to commit some time to get it right - I have at least 25 expectant readers to impress and for me it is the best day of the year!!

The day started off very well with bacon butties and buzz fizz for me, Jo, Dave Bro, Auntie Karen and Mum (@mrs_ordinary). After raising a toast to Dad, we set about opening our presents and for once I didn't get any duffs!! (joking!) - its fair to say we all did very well and we should all be grateful that we have such brilliantly generous friends and family.

Christmas morning en famille

"this is better than diamonds" - bless!

For many a year now, we have spent Christmas with some of our oldest and best friends - the Hosnys. Shereef and I met when we are at infant school and we have been "brothers from another mother" ever since. Through us, my folks struck up a firm friendship with Rafeek and Amira that is going strong over 27 years later. Going over to their place for Christmas is like going to my second home where there is nothing but love, friendship and happy memories for us all. Over the years people have left us who are dearly missed, but at the same time numbers have grown with babies being born and extended friends and family joining us for the now bi-annual celebration with Jo and I now spending every other year in Edinburgh. 

So at 2pm on Christmas Day, we arrived at Broad Eaves for great conversation, outstanding eating and drinking, followed by the traditional (and best!) part of the day - the sing-a-long led by Dave Bro and Auntie Karen who are the stars of the show with an outstanding support act.....

Us with me in my Christmas jumper - thanks Jo!

Shereef with a gift from his cousins, Nadine and Kareem

Rafeek and Auntie Karen

Two chefs! - Noonie & Andre

Rafeek with his prized sweet potato

The beautiful Christmas table to sit 25

Dave Bro and Annie who is a Christmas Day veteran!

Stephie with a lovely smile

Where it all began!

Kareem and Ryan - the cheese man!

Jo, Shereef and I later in the evening

The best hosts in town! Thanks as ever x

This is a food blog and you have have noticed that food hasn't been mentioned yet....well here it is....what a feast and this is just the meat and fish!!

Posh prawn cocktail

Smoked salmon & salmon mousse

Hot smoked salmon

Turkey with the pigs!

Roast beef

Dennis' Ham

Lamb

Aerial table shot

My first plate

Seriously, I don't think I have ever seen so much food in my life! After the starter and mains we inevitably got to the desserts which I think are possibly even more impressive!! It was the battle of the puds with Stephie, Amira, Stephie's mum, Barbara, Liz and Jo all producing their best efforts - here we go:

Stephie's Christmas Cake

Stephie's Trifle

Barbara's Chocolate Sable

Baklava

Barbara's mince pies

Coneffa

Liz's Downton Abbey Christmas pud

Serenne with Jo's amazing glittery Spruced Up Vanilla Cake

And then there was the cheese - look at the size of it!!!

After the cheese comes the sing-a-long with Dave Bro and Auntie Karen taking centre stage with their voices and guitars, and the rest of us forming the backing group. The day wouldn't be complete without the singing and it goes on until the early hours with the boozing and celebrations continuing to flow.....Jo and I headed home at 12.30 and left the other to carry on until 3am!

A million thanks again to Raf and Amira for their hospitality and I very much look forward to the tradition continuing for the next 27 years!!! Joe x

Ps. I wasn't able to get photos of everyone (the day went so quick and I got to drunk) so apologies if you have gone without a mention - there is always 2013!!