This is pretty much how the holidays passed for us.

The lunch in our house on Christmas Day was fantastic. Let me be more explicit, since I am home without much to do, and all the right mood to write :)

The atmosphere:

Really very Christmasy. Very big christmas tree, with 1200 lights on, and tons of ornaments. Cinnamon gingerbread men and santas and stars, made by us a couple of years ago, about 100 different angels from clear crystal ones to small plastic gold ones, many porcelain santa's and reindeers and snowflakes and red hearts and kids singing carols. It looked so full and old fashioned, just the way we like it. Under the tree there were 24 boxes wrapped in golden paper with big red and green ribbons. 20 of them being the pressies, 4 of them being empty boxes wrapped up so that the tree won't get lonely when the pressies reached their destined hands!

Candles. Lots of candles. Cream candles in silver candle holders, in plates, on the floor, on the tables. Poinsettias and missletoe and all kinds of christmasy greenery in vases, jars, tea pots.

A table set for 16. With a red and green table clothe, golden sous plats, white porcelain plates, crystal tall wine glasses, and the following eatable items: a roasted goose, a stuffed turkey, wild pork cooked in wine and bay leaves, new potatoes roasted in fresh butter and chicken broth, potato salad, beetroot salad, green salad, spinach pie, mince pie, cheese pie, various cheeses.

Then the living room coffee table had all the desserts:

1. Melomakarona. This is traditional greek christmas cookies, like nothing you ever tasted. They are made of flour, olive oil, orange juice, cinnamon, cloves, and are filled with walnuts. Then they are dipped in a syrop made of honey, cinammon, orange peel and sprinkled with crushed walnuts. They are juicy, decadent and smell of christmas.
2. Kourampiedes. Second favourite greek christmas cookie. Made of fresh butter, sugar, flour, roasted almonds and then sprinkled with rose water and this sugar thats like powder. Buttery heaven I tell ya!
3. Applepie with cream filling and lotsa raisins
4. Chocolate mousse cake
5. Chocolates, lotsa chocolates. 72% black chocolate with levander, black currant, lemon zest, red pepper, orange, and coffee. The after eights as usual.Chocolate covered raisins.

Now, traditionally, presents in Greece used to be exchanged in New Year's Eve, after midnight, when the year changed. This was done for two reasons. Our Santa is Snt. Vassilios (Vassilis is like umm...Bill in English) and he used to bring the gifts for the new year. On Christmas day, traditionally people would give each other sweets and wine. But we have been "globalised" and as the years pass, we tend to give the gifts on Christmas day.

My mom got gifts only for my brother's kids. She asked my sister in law to get them what she think they wanted, since she wasnt feeling well for shopping. She said the rest of us get our gifts on New Year's Day :o) She is getting better, so I think she will do some shopping on her own. And I got gifts for everyone but my husband. We did everything in such a rushed madness, that we decided to shop for each other this week that is so much more quiet.

People came at noon and the last one left at 6 in the evening. Then Angelos and I cleaned the house, washed the dishes, put away the leftovers, and took a nap. Ever since, this is what we have been doing. Sleep, get up, go to the living room, lay down on the sofa, after putting the dvd on, then one gets up, prepares a tray with leftover food, another tray with leftover sweets, eat them all, pass away in the middle of the film, wake up suddenly, grab the still sleeping partner, go to bed, sleep some more, then wake up, prepare the tray with leftovers, go to the sofa, eat, fall asleep, wake up, prepare another tray with chocolates and stuff, eat, etc etc. My stomach feels so full that I am feeling sick still. We ate all the time, slept all the time. After Christmas Eve, that my mom stopped vomiting (shhhh she's so much better the last 3 days :) my whole body started to ache. All the tension released in my muscles and I would feel more and more pain and yuckiness every day. Then I slept - ate - slept - ate for 48 hours. And today I am feeling so FAT!!!

I got some cool pressies. I got a faboulous dressing gown, feather grey fleecy material, with poeder blue and white stars, a pair of fancy undies, cute butter 'n eggs coloured pj's with smiley teddies, a silk scarf, a new white bath robe, bath foam and salts and oils, money from my in-laws, hand knitted socks to wear instead of slippers, a key chain, a handbag. And I am still waiting for my parent's gift, my husband's gift, and the gifts we will exchange with our best friends on new year's eve at their home.

And now I have an announcement to make. I am going to finish this post, get my running shoes on, and hit on the treadmill. I have not used it since November 20. How long do you think I will last????