Christmas Eve
Somehow we all managed to wake at a reasonable hour and, eventually, washed, dressed and fed we set off for Leicester via the new park and ride site near Enderby. We had a cunning plan, park up, travel to town cheaply, head for the Highcross, get our cinema tickets early, do the shopping, go and see the films and then return home and have a takeaway. I suppose that in reality there was nothing particularly cunning about this plan but it sounds good to say there was and so, I will.
Luckily, for me, the cinema didn’t open until 10 am and we arrived at the Highcross Centre at 9:30 am. What a shame we had to spend a half an hour in the Apple store looking at all the lovely expensive goodies they make. By the time we left Deb had decided that out next computer was going to be an iMac, I was even more desperate to own an iPhone (I don’t need one I just want one, the stupid thing is that I use my existing phone, in the main, to take lots of photo’s and the iPhone’s camera is pretty crap and has no flash – so where’s the sense in wanting one?) and the kids had decided that next Xmas they each wanted an iPod touch. Oh the allure of the beautiful. Eventually it was 10:00 so we headed for the box office and got out tickets. 2 for Avatar and 2 for the 3D version of A Christmas Carol… £ 34!!!!!!!
We had an hour and half before Avatar started so we made for the other side of Town so that the kids could buy Deb her presents from Dedham’s the Jewellers in Belvoir Street. After we had negotiated the security door and had been locked in the shop they each chose and bought Deb a new charm for her charm bracelet. We made our way back to The Highcross, diverting only for Nat to show me the CEX shop that sells all the goods that have been stolen in Leicester. By now my hip was killing me and I was looking forward to sitting down. We got back to the Highcross and went straight into the cinema. Avatar started an hour before the girl’s film so Nat and I went upstairs while Deb and Han stayed outside to do a little (?) more shopping. Avatar was superb and lived up to all the hype, 2 hours 40 minutes plus adverts and trailers and I didn’t go to the toilet once, now that’s a real Christmas Miracle!
We met Deb and Han in the foyer afterward where they were waiting for us, their film started later and finished earlier (as I said “Avatar’s an epic”). It was time to leave town before it got rowdy with Christmas Eve drinkers. We caught the Park and Ride bus at the top of High Street. The bus held an unexpected surprise. If you switched on your phone’s Bluetooth it sent you adverts and token books fully of discounts and money off coupons and, in addition, there was supposed to be free wifi on board, if there was then the link was down when we rode. We made it back, safely, to the out of town parking opposite Leicestershire Police HQ and proceeded to slip and slide our way across the car park back to ours. Home around 4:30 no one felt like cooking so we decided to have a take away. The kids and I opted for an Indian whilst Deb preferred Chinese. Luckily there’s an Indian, Chinese and a Chippy a short way away so we headed there. The Indian was lovely but I think Nat and Han regretted their choice and found it a little hot for their tastes; they live in Leicester so they’d best get used to it!
Deb had bought the a “new” version of Trivial Pursuits for us all to play on Christmas Eve but it proved to be a huge disappointment and hardly resemble the original game. She had also bought the kids new pyjamas which they did like. Eventually I fell asleep on the sofa and later woke to find that everyone had gone to bed and that whilst I slept Santa had paid a visit!
Christmas Day
As usual the kids got more presents than most small African nations; Deb really really really goes over the top at Christmas. No wonder I never have and cash she’s sending it to Santa all year long! Nat’s listed elsewhere some of what he got and I’ll have to get Han to do the same. Deb and I got a few little things. My main present was a box of rather splendid bottled beers. I looked forward to quaffing the tasty suds soonest and acquainting my mouth with their hoppy flavour (Unfortunately I did exactly that which explains why I remember so little of Saturday morning and why I ended up in the pub Saturday afternoon after going for an extraordinarily long walk). Nat’s main present was the X-Box he’d been craving and pestering us for all year. Han had been equally determined to make us aware that she lusted after a net book and this was what she got as her main present. After setting up the X-Box and showing Han how to operate the lap book Deb and I opened a bottle of sparkling wine and had a drink.
The morning passed amicably, amazing when you’re talking about our kids who could squabble for Britain, and eventually it was time for Christmas dinner. As usual Deb had done a brilliant job and it was gorgeous. Best of all we all had sensible portions and Deb hadn’t gone OTT and cooked every traditional Christmas dinner accompaniment. The end result was that we all enjoyed the meal, finished our meals and we weren’t left bloated for the rest of the day. After, or was it before, dinner we opened the presents we hadn’t opened in the morning but I can’t recall now what any of them were.
The rest of the day passed quickly by, as Christmas day always does such a build up for such a little thing, and eventually it was time for the penultimate episode of Doctor Who. Perhaps I was slightly the worse for wear but I couldn’t make head nor tail of the first episode and as such I still haven’t watched the final one. Some day soon, when everyone’s out I’ll watch then both back to back and see the one with the London bus in the desert that I also haven’t yet watched. Perhaps I just don’t want to say goodbye to this incarnation of the Doctor. Soon it was late, Xmas day was over for another year and eventually the kids were persuaded to their beds. Deb followed shortly after and once again I fell asleep on the sofa……….Merry Christmas!!!!!!
Saturday 26 Dec.
I forget
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