Christmas 2020

Christmas 2020 was very different from years one by as all of the South East and London were placed in to Tier 4 lockdown just days before Christmas Day. We already knew that our traditional Boxing Day could not go ahead due to Covid guidelines regarding number of people allowed to mix indoors and staying in bubbles etc. We did still plan on having Auntie Nicky over on Boxing Day but even this was canned at the last minute due to the Tier 4 restrictions.

Anyway Xmas Day was lovely with just the 5 of us. We didn't get up too early which was really nice, the boys didn't seem too bothered about getting up for presents and Holly slept in until about 8am. Holly didn't really have a main present but loads of smaller things this year. She by far had the biggest pile of presents and go loads of Polly Pocket, Barbie, Lego and Lol stuff that she really wanted. Joshua had the least presents as he wanted thus ludicrously fast and expensive electric scooter which is capable of nearly 30 kph! Brandon won the award for the largest present as he had a full driving gaming seat chassis with a Logitech G29 steering wheel and pedals.

Anyway we had a lovely Xmas day and a really nice Xmas meal with some new cooking tips for the roast potatoes and vegetables which I pinched off of a Jamie Oliver program. We tried playing a family game of Guinness World Records after dinner, but it only ended up with Me, Josh and Brandon. As a small family present this year we bought two little games, first was the wooden elastic puck game and the second was table top curling which is really addictive.

Boxing Day was not the usual KISMET day and instead was jus the 5 of us again. We arranged 3 zoom calls throughout the day, first for main presents in the morning, then an afternoon one for secret Santa presents and a Kahoot quiz, then a late evening zoom call to raise a glass and have a drink together. So all in all a very unusual Christmas and pne that will not be forgotten, fingers crossed we can get back to normal proceedings next year as we missed out on so much this year (i.e. my giant cracker!!).

A smaller festive spread for 2020 as we are not allowed any family over.

Finally the Elf was saying farewell and brought the children their Christmas Eve boxes.

Holly finally got to hug Rainbow before she rushed back to Santa.

Holly misunderstood a gentle hug for taking Rainbow in to the hot tub and showing her how to deep sea dive.

Santa had been and the presents certainly weren't getting smaller. Brandon's looks like Santa left his sleigh and wrapped it up.

The 3 kiddies wasted no time cracking on to presents once everyone woke up

Holly got absolutely tonnes of presents and was so excited not knowing what to play with first.

Brandon tucking on to his presents.

It wasn't worth trying to hide what his main present was and it is pretty obvious.

And it weighs an absolute tonne, so much so I had to take it to bits to take it up to his bedroom.

Joshua opening his new electric scooter which all his mates seem to be getting now.

First ride, it may not look much but this is a serious bit of kit. Disc brakes, brake lights, night running lights, 30kph top speed, digital display, Bluetooth app for cruise control etc.

Holly really wanted one of these robot fish things and was really excited when she opened a unicorn one.

Holly was wearing her new Frozen dressing gown which came in her Christmas Eve box from the Elf.

Check out the large Unicorn Bluetooth speaker in the background which Holly has to connect to the Alexa in her bedroom.

Holly's Polly Pocket shopping mall.

That's Brandon gone for the day as he now has half a racing car in his bedroom.

Gaming has certainly changed since when I was a kid.

Josh has a quick go, note the new Xmas hair cut (finally convinced him to have a Dad cut for Xmas to tidy his mop up a bit!).

Holly brining life to her Unicorn robot fish thingy.

It has a magnetic feeder which you hold on the glass and the fish follows you around.

Old school toys, I found a Spirograph and had to get it for Holly. She loved how easy it is to make cool patterns.

Despite all the technology, its really nice to see the kids enjoying a toy that we had when we were their age!

Thanks to Jamie Oliver for the ideas behind some of the lovely food which I prepared for our Xmas feast.

Selfie with all 5 of us and I am the only one wearing a Christmas cracker hat!

This was out fast paced wooden puck game which Santa bought as a family present for us.

And then he also got us this really cool and really addictive table curling game.

Joshua looking good in one of his new tracksuits he got for Xmas.

And Boxing day was not the usual KISMET gathering, instead it was yet more Zoom calls.

Finally for this Xmas blog update I would like to post an amazing poem which Nicky wrote for Xmas and absolutely sums up 2020 and what Boxing Day is all about. My Mum was always a bit of a poet and could have easily been a writer if she put her mind to it, so we know exactly where Nicky gets this talent from:

Kismet Boxing Day

This year I will not be with the Kismet Crew all in one room, 

but thanks to the art of technology we can still see each other on Zoom.

For this morning I am sat around my Christmas tree on my own, 

so very grateful for the video calling apps on my phone.

On this day we also have a competition to see whose Christmas jumper is the best, 

bizarrely this year it means using the webcam to get a good image of my chest!

Things like my brother’s buffet, pulling a giant cracker and playing games I will miss, 

but when we all virtually chat later today we will fondly reminisce. 

My sister’s annual Christmas quiz always seems to cause dispute, 

must remember when we do our chat to make sure I am not on mute!

This year will be so very different from all of the rest,

But for the fact we can still see and talk to each other, I feel truly blessed.

It really does not matter whether we are together or apart,

The Kismet Crew are always with me as they all take up so much of my heart.

XXXX

Mary Poppins Gingerbread House

The Christmas festivities continued this weekend as I made  gingerbread house with Holly, although I have to say she did most of the work herself this year. The boys show absolutely zero interest in these sort of activities now and barely surface out of their bedrooms. Anyway I think Holly did an amazing job this year and as we cannot have the family around for Boxing day, we have already started eating it and it is delicious. 

Also over the weekend we saw the local Scooby Doo van over the park again and then shortly after that we saw Santa and an Elf over there! The naughty Rainbow Elf has been continuing with her mischievous antics by riding a sleigh and using Holly's doll horse to pull it, cooking Haribo eggs in a frying pan and then building a mini sleight from lolly sticks.

Holly starts work on her 2020 gingerbread house.

This year she did most of the work herself and did an amazing job.

Holly even had a go at the icing piping bag.

nd a proud Mary Poppins (aka Holly) with the finished piece.

Amazing job and very tasty too.

Over Wick Park Sunday morning we first saw the local Scooby Doo van.

The ultimate in crime capers, Scooby Doo and Mary Poppins.

Then we saw Santa and an Elf over the park.

Holly was not impressed that Rainbow used her dolls horse to pull his sleigh.

And then cooked some Haribo fried eggs for breakfast.

Last night Rainbow got creative a built a miniature wooden sleigh for Holly.

Enlightened at Hylands House

With lockdown restrictions, home schooling and home working we have hardly left the house in what seems like forever and it certainly doesn't feel like we are 1 week away from Xmas Day. Anyway to try and get in to the festive spirit we booked the Enlightened outdoor light show at Hylands House in Chelmsford for yesterday and it was absolutely amazing. Probably the only negative thing was that I couldn't get any mulled wine and mince pies which I was really looking forward too.

The weather was perfect as it wasn't too cold and there was no rain. We spent about an hour walking around the light trail and even put of wishes on the "Make a wish" wall. This was a much needed "get out of the house" event for all of us and certainly felt very festive and uplifting ahead of the big day next week. Holly really enjoyed seeing all of the fairies and even Tinkerbell herself. At the end of the trail we treated them to a nice warming portion of chips as there was no festive foods on sale. Joshua's chips had the most amazing curry sauce on them that I have ever tasted!!!

The talking tree at the start of the trail.

Some light strip reindeer.

Loads of multicoloured lights illuminated the surrounding gazebos and trees as you followed the trail around the grounds.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Xmas.

Joshua and Holly following the trail around Hylands House grounds.

Can you spot all the fairies hidden in the trees?

And some down on the ground.

Holly even saw a Hologram of Tinkerbell.

Just beautiful the way

The old flint house had a video illumination of Santa and Mrs Claus in the windows.

Luminous light bands looked like something out of Mission Impossible.

Difficult to get a picture of all 5 of us as you cannot give your phone/camera to someone else due to Covid restrictions.

Selfie of all 5 of us in a light tunnel. You didn't have to wear masks as it was an outdoor event, but Brandon and Tina were keeping their faces warm!

This is my favourite photo from the event. Just stunning.

Oh the challenges f trying to get a 5 person selfie!!

Holly and Tina adding their wishes to the make a wish wall.

Already the wall has hundreds and hundreds of wishes.

The Enlightened trail.

More of the illuminated scenery on the trail.

Laser type lights scanning the skies like something out of War Of The Worlds.

Another attempted selfie of the 5 of us.

A lovely touch having some NHS rainbow lights.

My sassy Princess.

Love the rainbow LED glow sticks.

The back of Hylands House had a large illuminated light animation.

Happy times.

Difficult to capture how good this was without a video.

The front of Hylands House was illuminated in a purple colour.