I don’t know how this happened but I’ve gotten myself into another wee pickle.

First, let me make one thing clear, I am NOT a Christmas person. Christmas is expensive, commercialized, and not that much fun unless you’re the one sitting in front of a mountain of gifts to open and snuggled in front of a fire. Yes, I enjoy giving more than receiving and actually that’s one part of Christmas morning I love- watching someone open gifts but let’s be honest, after watching someone open their 5th gift in a row, it gets a bit tedious. I think I discovered this at about 12 or 13 when I was no longer the youngest person in the house on Christmas morning. Anyway, I digress.

I’m not a grinch or a Scrooge but at the same time, Christmas isn’t as good in Sydney. Sydney has lots going for it but singing “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas” while you’re sweating through your Santa hat is not one of them! Christmas lights- a bit pointless when it doesn’t get dark until after 8 at night!

Anyhow- despite my ambivalence about Christmas, The Runner and I are hosting a Christmas Eve lunch/dinner. What the???? I know, how did this happen? Thanksgiving is my holiday, my day to feed the masses and stuff myself silly. Thanksgiving is my day to shine, not Christmas- so what am I doing hosting Christmas? Stupidity, boredom, well meaning intentions, my big mouth? The truth is none of them- or all of them.

Actually, I blame The Runner. It started with him saying that he missed not having an actual Turkey on thanksgiving and thought we should do one for Christmas instead. Great idea- except it’s not. Turkey for 2? No way! So I invited another couple, and then somehow it became turkey and ham because apparently both are traditional on Christmas in Ireland. So I invited a few more people, and then a few more, and then a couple more and now I’m hoping the weather is nice because we can fit more people at our outdoor table than the indoor one. Oh no, this is how the first thanksgiving party came about. A trickle and now years later a flood!

In truth, I’m excited about hosting my first Christmas- just a bit in the dark though. My family suffers from a lack of Christmas traditions- other than eggnog– very potent eggnog. I asked The MOM- or MOB as she has nicknamed herself (Mother of the Bride) and apparently the only tradition our family has is that we don’t have turkey. We’re Thanksgiving people like I said. So, I’m throwing it open to the public- what do you make on Christmas? What’s your Christmas tradition? And most importantly, tree or no tree?