Boxing Day: Food, Family, and Sightseeing

There are two things Italian treasure the most: Family and Food! And we love to gather around the fireplace during the Christmas Holidays to chit-chat, snack, and be merry. If it wasn't clear enough from my previous posts, I absolutely adore Christmas! For us, Christmas is a three-day affair: we start with a fish dinner on the 24th, followed by a super lunch on the 25th, and finally another big lunch on the 26th. As there is a lot of cooking involved, we usually split the chores. This year, however, my parents hosted all three meals. It was a lot of work but a lot of fun too. 

The 26th was a smaller affair. We took some pictures and ate and talked a lot. Emilia was very good and napped exactly when we were having lunch, which meant we could all enjoy a nice meal in peace (no offence, baby!).

 

 

 When she woke up, she drank her milk and then she was full of energy and enjoyed walking up and down the stairs, one of her new favourite pastimes. 

 

 

And since we all exchanged gifts on the 25th, lunch was much shorter. So, Beatrice, Rob, and I took the chance to do some local sightseeing. We visited a lovely Medieval town just thirty minutes away from my parents' house, Città S. Angelo. We had a very nice time wandering around and look at that sky, isn't it gorgeous?!

 

 

And guess what we did as soon as we got back home?! Yes, eat more! 

A Customised Christmas

This Christmas was all about customisation! Just a few examples...

My mum welcomed me home with a pair of personalised slippers, which I loved. 

And I went nuts with personalised items! First of all, I made a burlap bag for all of Emilia's gifts. Needless to say, it was a big hit. However, it wasn't big enough to contain all the gifts...Emilia is one lucky (and super spoilt!) little girl!

She also received an activity book: a countdown to Christmas with different activities for each day.

I also made a similar book for Rob...in fact, it is Emilia's gift for her beloved papà. It's a little book with reasons why her daddy is brilliant, what makes her smile, what they enjoy doing together, and there are also spaces for pictures of the two.

Christmas is always special but this year my parents' house really turned into a magical space. When my mum asked me how she should have decorated the Christmas tree this year, I requested fairies for Emilia. My mum is a very crafty person but I could have never imagined she would make such beautiful fairies. They are a masterpiece. Twenty-six handmade fairies and lots of stars ornate the tree this year. They are all different and all beautiful. Well done, mum!

 

And given that fairies was the theme, my cousin Beatrice made paper fairies as placenames. Aren't they super cute? Emilia had hers, of course!

 

Overall, we had a jolly day and I am already looking forward to next year! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Playdate in Pescara

We are in Pescara! We arrived on Thursday morning and will be staying here for two full weeks, yay! Since our arrival we have been eating and meeting friends. I love it. And today we hosted a playdate at my parents' with some of my old time friends and their children: 15 adults and 10 kids ranging from one month old to six years old. It was so amazing to spend time with people I have known since I was three years old and their kids. We are all grown up now. 

For the occasion, we created a little play-area for the kids with a dolls' house, a table where to practice arts and crafts, read books, and play with teddy bears, while the aduts were enjoying an Afternoon Tea with homemade cakes by my mum and grandmum. The kids loved it and we all had a lot of fun.

Also, we exchanged gifts. Everyone was jelaous of Emilia's Peppa Pig's baby vehicle and the kids had to take turns to ride on it. 

 

 

 

By the end of the day Emilia had a big mark on her cheek and one on her eye but she had so much fun playing that we didn't care too much! 

 

Not too long for Christmas day...I can't wait!!!!!!!

Santa and his reindeer

It's beginning to look, and feel, a lot like Christmas! And I couldn't be happier. 

When I heard that Santa was stopping by the Tower Bridge on Thursday afternoon (today), I knew I had to take off work! What are the chances to have Santa himself (!?) and his reindeer (yes, real ones!) wandering around your neighborhood?? Rob and I got both very excited and decided to take our little one to meet Santa for the first time in her life. She still doesn't really know who he is and I had no idea how she would react but I anticipated her to cry a little, or at least complain a bit at the sight of the huge white beard! Instead, she was very inquisitive and curious. She wasn't very smiley but she *accepted* his presence and was happy to hop on Santa's sleigh.

 

 

 

On the other hand, she got quite excited to meet Santa's reindeer who were resting and eating in a little designated area before taking off to the sky again (!). These are magical times. And she even blew kisses at them. Cute. I bet next year she will be all over Santa and will be asking to meet him!