Bah Humbug! It's December, again - 5 more days to go

Only 5 days to go? And the last Sunday of Advent ...

Bah and double Bah Humbug. Now we are down to the last five days. I need a Christmas pudding to feed more than one person and will have to plan what I am to do about vegetables. Do I buy them now and risk them going floppy, or do I risk not finding them in the market or supermarket when I go shopping the day before?

Whatever, this whole Christmas lunch thingummy-whatsit, is turning my brain into a vegetable.

As the last Sunday before Christmas, the question on many consumers' minds will be - church, shopping or having a quiet afternoon in. Living in Singapore, the shops always seem to be open, and weekends are especially painful as everyone goes shopping, or shopping to look around.

Will the shops be open in the UK? most probably, since not everyone panicked yesterday on Panic Saturday.

So, now we have adopted Black Friday - which really always makes me think of something evil - which it is, because it is a demonstration of sheer greed and consumerism. We have Panic Saturday - the first time I have heard that term - BBC where do you find these things?

And, today, is the last Sunday before Christmas, the fourth Sunday in Advent. Which, for those celebrating Christmas in the true spirit of it's Christian (rather than pagan) intentions, it is time to light the fourth Advent candle. The one for St John the Baptist.

The fifth and final candle, located in the middle of the Advent crown, is lit on Christmas Day, to represent Jesus. Although, if you live in Germany, you'll be lighting that one on Christmas Eve.

Advent is a month of reflection, leading up to Christmas Day and was first followed in Spain around 380AD. Advent then moved to France as a pre-Christmas fast and by the end of 6th Century is was widespread throughout Europe. Another man-made celebration of faith.

But, whatever your religion or faith, whatever your belief, Christmas is the culmination of the year past. It is a time of reflection, giving and being kind to others.

Bah Humbug.

DOWN THE CHIMNEY ©

Mum shook her head, ‘With Santa stuck,

A huge lunch would surely suck,

‘I thought we’d have a healthy day,

Without the tooth decay.’

‘But, Mum,’ I gave a heartfelt sob,

‘Some fruit will never do the job.

‘Besides I asked for a new robot,

He can’t have just forgot?’

BAH HUMBUG - It's December again! And today is Christmas Day!

Six Forty 2014

Get up! It’s time and Santa’s been,

Bounced boys with voices oh so keen.

Just look at that beneath the tree,

I wonder if they’re all for me?

I slipped downstairs to cook the lunch,

They might get hungry was my hunch.

Buried under paper mountains,

Sting and ribbons flew like fountains.

How did you know I wanted that?

Lego, books, and toys for the cat.

This day’s completely crammed with fun,

I sigh as it’s only just begun.

The veg are prepped and oven’s on,

We’re eating turkey not roast swan,

There’s pudding, cake and mince pies too,

I think that’s quite a lot to chew.

And when at last we’ve eaten all,

On to the sofa we’ll all sprawl.

Before we start our exercise,

I might just close my tired eyes.

Sarah Froggatt © 2014

Even the cat decided that he should be sitting at the table:

The Fourth Veg/Day of Christmas - really?

Today is the Fourth Day of Christmas, 28th December, and we are now back to eating real food, although there are still copious amounts of chocolate in the fridge......

So, it is Saturday, but every day at the moment feels like a Saturday. Probably why I cannot get anything done, well, almost anything.

Then the doorbell went and my Orangutans are cool t-shirts arrived, finally.

I shall have to list them now on Etsy and package them with a copy of Orangutan Swing.

And here is:

THE FOURTH VEG OF CHRISTMAS

The Fourth Veg of Christmas my true love sent to me,

Four Cauliflowers

Cauliflowers have a distinct flavour and are often served steamed with broccoli or baked under a cheese sauce. 

The Third Day/Veg of Christmas - I've Run Out of Humbugs

Today is the third day of Christmas, there are no more humbugs left. We still have a lot of chocolate and most of the turkey has gone, thank goodness.

Yesterday was Boxing Day, a public holiday in many European countries, and a tradition in England. Not so where I live, Singapore, everyone goes back to work. So yesterday I made a stack of pancakes, did a load of washing and worked on my book. I think that counts as going back to work.

Today, I think we should bake some bread.



And here is:

THE THIRD VEG OF CHRISTMAS

The third veg of Christmas my true love sent to me,

Three French Beans.

They are best flash cooked for about one to two minutes, absolute max, in slightly salted boiling water. Drain, then add a knob of butter and toss the beans. Serve immediately. Somehow they taste so much better than they did when I was a child - they were extremely green then.

The Second Day/Veg of Christmas - No More Humbugs

No more humbugs! well that's what it looks like, no one liked them anyway.

Today is the second day of Christmas, Boxing Day. 

No, not a day for getting the boxing gloves out and holding a round of fisty-cuffs. Although, the other year, I did get my son a punch bag so that he could use it instead of his brother.....

Boxing Day was the day when servants received gifts from their masters or employers (wish my employer had given me a nice Christmas box - with stuff in it). It was a Christmas Box. This box has many origins, and was mentioned in Samuel Pepys diary in 1663. 

In England, it is linked to a tradition that the day after Christmas was given as a holiday for servants to visit their families (they had to work on Christmas Day, just like me, but I didn't get Boxing Day off). They would be given a box of gifts, a bonus and even left over food to take with them. 

Boxing Day was also a time for giving alms to the poor and churches would leave a collection box for parishioners to donate money.

Boxing Day is also the religious festival of St Stephen - remember old Good King Wenceslas? Yes, a reference to Boxing Day, the Feast of St Stephen and giving alms to the poor and needy. However, Wenceslas was not a King, he was a Duke who spread Christianity, not alms and was murdered by his brother. 

That aside, Boxing Day is definitely a day for saying thanks for what we have received and have and giving to those who are less fortunate. 

I would like to remember and am looking for a way to donate to the refugees from Syria who are cold and homeless in Lebanon (yes they are in Jordan too, but we must remember the rest of them).

And while we are at it. Here is:

THE SECOND VEG OF CHRISTMAS

The second veg of Christmas my true love sent to me,

Two turnip soups.

The Eighth Day Before Christmas - Bah Humbug

Bah Humbug, it's 17th December - that means we are a mere 8 days away. Have I done everything I intended to do before it's all too late? Christmas gifts are wrapped and under the tree. Christmas cards, well a few, have been written and posted. Christmas pudding, well I cheated and bought one. Mince pies baked? - whoops, no, not yet. I want to make my own this year. Christmas cake? I think I shall make a chocolate one as my children have not developed my love of fruit cake.

Wow that looks like rather a lot of cakes and pastries. What about the veggies?

That reminds, I really should make a New Year resolution to update my EattheVeggies website.

BAH HUMBUG

When did we start eating vegetables?