Long gone are the days when I would stress over Christmas Day preparations. This year I adopted a laid back approach which meant the day was much more enjoyable – which is how Christmas Day should be. So what that I forgot some grocery items, like orange juice, avocadoes and shortbread biscuits to name a few, there was still plenty of goodies to eat and I really don’t think anyone noticed. It also meant I could improvise with some of the recipes.
The smoked salmon & avocado stack was still delicious despite the fact I had forgotten to buy the fresh avocadoes, yet I had some yummy avocado & salsa pre-made dip which worked quite well instead. So what that I ruined the ham rind by cutting all the way through it – the redcurrant glazed ham was that yummy, it was devoured in two days. So what that there weren’t the traditional shortbread biscuits to serve visiting friends and family over the course of Christmas Day and Boxing Day – the mini chocolate puddings, the delightfully decadent egg custard and those huge, juicy cherries were enough of a distraction.
We’ve been spoilt over the years to expect food stores to be open every day and at all hours, and we panic when they are shut for just one day. You see shoppers stocking up on food as though it will be weeks before the stores re-open. The world didn’t end simply because I was missing some ingredients; Christmas wasn’t ruined simply because I didn’t follow recipes to the letter. While it’s lovely to have a table full of delicious gourmet foods to serve your friends and family, we can miss the point if we make that the focus of our day. It’s so much more important to relish the time spent with family and friends, for they are the essence of Christmas.
Photographs taken using Lensbaby Muse - a Christmas gift - and textures photographed by me added to the original photos.
No comments:
Post a Comment