The beaver is a proud and noble animal
Notes from a bemused canuck
Lily tried churros, poutine, beaver tail with maple butter, charcuterie, foie gras (with and without truffle sauce) and tartiflette. She approves of all of it, but wishes she could get her own foie gras sandwich, instead of only having the odd bit.
Leg of lamb, yorkie pud, mashed and roasted spuds, carrots, sweet potatoes and brussels, topped with lamb gravy.
The Schilliger Xmas display was cute but a bit subdued compared to previous years. Given how shite 2020 has been, it’s a bit hard to work up a full heas of seasonal cheery steam. We’ve decided to push back our flight to the UK from December to next July, in the hopes that things will have improved by then and we won’t need to quarantine on both ends. We’ll be here for Swissmas. Pray that we don’t kill each other. Ho ho oy.
We’ve just finished putting away all the biscuits and chocolate that we got over Christmas. These are just the biscuits. The two-dozen or so bars of chocolate have been put in the freezer. It’s a bit mad…
My relationship savagely described by CAH. Fun fact, Katy was the card tzar and we were playing with her dad :)
I need a good set of them to turture granddad.
What did Santa do when he went speed dating?
He pulled a cracker
How does Darth Vader enjoy his Christmas Turkey?
On the dark side!
What is the Grinch’s least favourite band?
The Who!
What do you get if Santa forgets to wear his undercrackers?
St Nickerless
What do you get if you cross Santa with a duck?
A Christmas Quacker!
What do you call a penguin in the Sahara desert?
Lost
Why was the turkey in the pop group?
Because he was the only one with drumsticks!
What do you get if you put a bell on a skunk?
Jingle smells
How did Darth Vader know what Luke Skywalker got for Christmas?
He felt his presents
Why did the Grinch go to Bargain Booze?
He was searching for some holiday spirit
What does Santa spend his wages on?
Jingle Bills
Why is Parliament like ancient Bethlehem?
It takes a miracle to find three wise men there
Who hides in the bakery at Christmas?
A mince spy
Which Christmas carol is about an animal with three legs?
Little Wonkey
How can you tell if you are at a Brexit party this Christmas?
Because everyone wants to leave
Why was the snowman looking through the carrots?
He was picking his nose
What does Miley Cyrus have for her Christmas dinner?
Twerky
Why couldn’t the skeleton go to the Christmas party?
He had no body to go with
How will Brexit affect Christmas dinner?
No Brussels
Why is Mrs Claus always checking Santa’s phone?
He seems to know where all the naughty girls live
What do you call an obnoxious reindeer?
Rude-olph!
Who do Santa’s helpers call when they’re ill?
The National Elf Service!
Why did Santa quit smoking?
Because it was bad for his elf
What’s Tarzan’s favourite Christmas song?
Jungle bells
What do you get when you cross a snowman and a vampire?
Frostbite
What are the best Christmas sweaters made from?
Fleece Navidad!
What would you call an elf who just has won the lottery?
Welfy!
What was the three wise men’s favourite Christmas carol?
Oh Camel, Ye Faithful
When is a Christmas dinner bad for your health?
When you’re the turkey…
What’s every elf’s favorite type of music?
Wrap
Who is a Christmas tree’s favorite singer?
Spruce Springsteen
What does Santa use to bake cakes?
Elf-raising flour
Why did the choir have to cancel their carol concert?
They caught tinsel-itis
What is the duck’s favourite Christmas carol?
In The Beak Midwinter
Mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, brussels, carrots, peas, cauliflower, broccoli, Yorkshire pudding, stuffing, turkey breast.
Turkey brine:
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp grated ginger
2 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tsp peppercorns
1L water
Mix everything and bring to a boil. Cool down and dilute to 4L. Brine 1.5kg turkey breast overnight in the fridge.
But I’m not sure…
Or not. These past couple of years, the holidays have become less and less a time of joy and more and more a source of anxiety, frustration and honesty… depression.
Don’t get me wrong. There are moments I still treasure. They just seem to be more difficult to achieve and it involve more drama to get to.
I found a good article recently that had some advice I thought I’d share, just in case it can help someone.
Make a flexible plan: Make plans and then communicate them clearly with your family. Don’t overbook. Build time in, so you don’t have to rush, and leave time for yourself.
Set realistic expectations: You can’t do everything, so focus on what matters. Where do you want to put your energy? The holidays have a lot of “shoulds.” Don’t be afraid to say no.
Be open to new traditions: “But we always …” is not a reason to do something you don’t enjoy. If a tradition doesn’t work for you, make a new one.
Be aware of what you need: Get outside in the sunlight when possible. Get some physical exercise. Make sure you get the proper amount of sleep.
Stop it before it starts: Pay attention and self-diagnose. Are you experiencing a change in your eating or sleep patterns? Do you find yourself declining invitations you would normally accept because it seems like too much effort to go? Don’t ignore self-care and be mindful about how you are navigating the holidays.