Xmas Day 2023

Better late than never but here is the blog update from Xmas Day 2023 (Boxing Day still to come). Unfortunately I didn't take many pictures for some reason, but we had a really nice Xmas Day just at home with the 5 of us. The day started with a surprisingly late wake-up at around 9am and thus I started the day with the usual 3 mins in the cold plunge (wearing a Xmas hat).

We then opened our presents and this year in particular seemed really disappointing given how much we spent. Joshua really only had 4 presents which were a Nike coat, a Dry Robe, a watch and some aftershave. So nothing he could really play with or use on Xmas day. 

Brandon wasn't much better as he had some clothes, a watch, aftershave, a neck chain, but then at least he had a couple of new PlayStation games (Avatar, Spiderman and Cyberpunk) which he could play with.

Even Holly didn't have a whole lot of presents as her main presents was a new laptop which she needs for school. Other than that she got Mario Kart for her Switch, some Disney Stitch merch, new shin pads and some books. Then for our family present this year we bought a 8 in 1 Carnival game hoping to engage the boys in some Xmas Games. This was an epic fail as they hardly touched it and it was just me, Holly and Tina playing it.

Anyway we had a lovely Xmas dinner with a few drinks in the evening. Although for Brandon he started drinking around lunchtime and didn't pace himself very well. By 9 o'clock we sat down to watch TV and he was done for and seeing double vision. Fortunately he realised he had overdone it and chugged a glass of water and took himself to bed (not before throwing up everywhere though!).

Holly with her mince pies, carrots and Guinness ready for Santa and his reindeers.

Start of Xmas Day with a 3 min cold plunge at sub 10 degrees.

Santa came and given how much we spent it didn't look very impressive. My gym bits from Tina were the biggest presents.

A little selection of some of Holly's presents.

This 8 in 1 Carnival game was our family present for 2023.

Holly had a good go on it with me and Tina, but not the boys.

Holly wearing her new Stitch Oodie playing the Carnival Game.

Tina having a go at the rings.

Holly also got Mario Kart for her Switch with a few little steering wheels. This was good fun to play (although with my old man eyes I really need it on the big screen!).

Tina got me this really cool Deadpool Xmas T-shirt.

Holly was over the moon with her new laptop for doing her school work on and sat there Xmas Day writing out loads of work on Word!

Annual Xmas dinner selfie and hooray - the two boys are smiling for once.

But by 9 o'clock Brandon hadn't paced himself well and was baked. This was moments before taking himself to bed and throwing up everywhere.

Last Pre-Xmas Football Training

Still catching up on a load of blogs from over the Xmas period. Obviously all of the kids clubs shut down for a week or so which is a welcome break. Brandon's Academy team had a really fun session on the last Tuesday before shutting down for Xmas where all the boys made an effort to wear some sort of Xmas hat. The played some really fun football related games which Brandon's team eventually lost resulting in some not so festive press-ups as punishment!

Academy U15's pre-Xmas training session.

And the losing team got some not so festive press-ups as punishment.

Xmas Ice Skating at Riverside

As we didn't go ice skating at the Winter Wonderland I promised Holly I would take her over the Xmas holiday's. There was once a time when our Xmas ice skating trip would be a family event with all 5 of us, nowadays it is just me and H. Tina was working, Brandon didn't fancy it and Joshua was too busy on GTA5.

Holly did bloody amazing when we went yesterday. We was on the ice for a total of an hour and 20 minutes and she only fell over about 3 times. She did roughly one lap holding on to the side if the rink and then spent the rest up it ice skating around the middle taking great pride that she didn't need a penguin. I've got to be honest I was struggling to keep up with her towards the end as he was getting faster and faster. We had loads of fun though.

Sketchy first lap with Holly cautiously holding on to the side. 

She did this for about 1 lap.

Xmas lights were projected on to the ice and they played Xmas music making it feel very festive.

A reindeer projected on to the ice.

Holly about to cut the reindeer in half with her skates.

Merry Xmas from Holly.

No longer an annual family event, just me and H.

We had loads of fun though and it was some quality father and daughter time.

London Xmas Lights Tour

Since lockdown I have wanted to take the kids up to London to have a tour of the Xmas lights but have always ended up putting it off as the taxi drivers who run the tours are commanding between £200-300 which seem extortionately high to me. Anyway as Joshua is getting older and we are running out of time to do these family type trips out, I decided this year to just go for it, but instead of a taxi we took the train to London.

The kid's don't often go to London and so the train ride alone is a bit of fun and an adventure. The lights lived up to expectations as we walked from Bond Street, down Oxford Street, into Regent Street, through Carnaby Street and then down to Covent Garden. From the Garden we then headed over the river to the Xmas market for some delicious food (Xmas duck baps) and a mulled wine before heading back to the Embankment to head home. 

All in all I think we were walking for a good 2 to 3 hours and Holly was extremely tired by the time we had finished and was clearly ready for bed. My personal favourite of the lights was in Carnaby Street with a planet/space type of theme. Although the angels of Regent Street were a close second.

Out London Xmas Lights Tour started at Bond Street.

Where we headed down Oxford Street.

Thousands and thousands of contrasting lights.

The angels as you turn down Regent Street.

A weird light sculpture that looks like a plant frog of some sort.

Some of the Xmas trees in Hamleys window display.

The amazing angels in Regent Street.

A Harry Potter Xmas Tree in Hamleys.

Entering in to Carnaby Street.

Loads of colour and a space / planet theme.

Definitely the best lights in my opinion.

Me and H in Carnaby Street.

Carnaby Universe.

Colour changing tear drop lights.

Saturn type planet in Carnaby Street.

Oversized bells and baubles in Covent Garden.

Apple Market in Covent Garden.

And a 60ft Xmas tree in Covent Garden.

No picture of Joshua all night, but I did manage to get one of Brandon with H and Tina.

Lights everywhere you look.

The embankment was absolutely rammed.

Having a scenery photo competition with Brandon as we cross the Thames.

London skyline lit up with St Pauls in the middle.

We had a lovely evening taking in all the lights and sites.

Tina and H with a giant festive polar bear.

Gingerbread lights.

Final stop at the Xmas market over the Embankment.

Where we got the most delicious food from the Duck Shed. Worth every penny.

These tree lights along the Thames looked amazing.

Loads of colour and lit up the walkway amazingly.

Not sure what this was, looks like the crystal maze.