Christmas Evening
Once dinner is eaten, those who were involved in the main cooking relax and everyone else tidies up and cleans the kitchen.
We usually then head to the living room, to watch some TV, usually the family film on BBC 1
Alcohol helps with the TV program choices, people either stick with what they were drinking during the meal or switch to their preferred alcohol. I must add, that we are all adults, all over 40 , no teens, and just one 4 pre school child. Obviously the pre schooler is not having alcohol!
Once the big meal has settled, its dessert time. This again for my family is not that formal. Its really a help yourself to whatever you like.
We always have a bowl of fresh dairy cream
https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=255674652 which has been hand whipped in the fridge to accompany the desserts.
The selection on offer would be
Mince Pies
Despite the name, these are a individual sweet dried fruit pies. There are various types and brands, from these ones which are the basic ones to deluxe high end ones. Some people make their own, some people have store bought.
Mince pies can be eaten cold or can be warmed in the oven or microwave. Using a microwave to warm them takes years of practice, as the filling contains sugar which heats at a higher temperature than the pastry case. Over the years, many a mince pie has been over heated and exploded!
Some people eat the mince pies on their own, some people accompany them with a dollop of whipped cream, and some people accompany them with custard. The custard is traditionally Birds custard, either made from powder or bought ready made. This custard is thick and deep yellow, and is not the same as French Creme Anglais. Other brands of custard are available ,including store own brands and again there are various price ranges, depending on the grocery store.
https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=258869377
https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=289418006 https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=256525603
Christmas Cake https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=259193229 This used to be a big tradition to make your own cake, but now a days its not as popular. Its a rich , heavy fruit cake and each family would have their own recipe, handed down through generations. My grandmothers and my mum when I was a child would make this around Halloween time and then soak it weekly with alcohol to mature until Christmas. They would first cover it in a layer of marzipan / almond paste and then cover the marzipan with Royal Icing. Most families now just buy a small version of Christmas cake just to have in the house.
Christmas Pudding https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=255886418
This is another traditional cake that my mum and grandmothers would make, again around Halloween time. It has similar ingredients to Christmas Cake, dried fruit etc but it is boiled not baked. I remember my mum (1970's housewife) would use the pressure cooker to cook these and there was a big effort made of preparing the cooking bowls. They needed layers of greaseproof paper and tinfoil, folded in a certain way and tied with string, which included making a handle. My mum used plastic bowls but the traditional way was ceramic bowls. Again, once cooked, they were soaked with alcohol and matured until Christmas.
At Christmas, they would be unmoulded from the bowl, sprinkled with brandy and set on fire and then brought to the table.
Nowadays, most people just have store bought
Sherry Trifle https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=258870038
Some families make their own, some use the Bird Trifle Kit, some people have store bought. Traditionally it is strawberry jelly (gello) tinned peaches, pears and pineapple, sponge cake (pound cake) custard - see above and whipped fresh dairy cream. During the preparation the sponge cake (pound cake) is usually soaked with Sherry - Red Spanish Wine
https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=257467883
After the family film is over, its usually time for the "soaps" Eastenders and Coronation Street.
These are long running programs, Eastenders is set in a working class area East End of London. Coronation Street is set in a working class area of the North of England city of Manchester. Eastenders started in 1985 and Coronation Street started in 1960. The Christmas Day Evening is prime time TV , so both of these programs usually have a dramatic or emotional story line which climaxes in the Christmas Day episodes.
When Downtown Abbey was being broadcast, this would also have a special Christmas Day episode, which again was prime time viewing.
During the soaps, the tins of sweets will be passed around and if you want it, more alcohol. There is usually a selection of Roses, Celebrations, Quality Street and Heros. All usually the same size tins / tubs as this photo. We also have crisps (chips)
By about 10pm, people will be starting to "nap" on the sofa's and eventually start heading to bed.
Day After Christmas Day
In Ireland its called St Stephens Day, in The UK they call it Boxing Day
In Ireland St Stephens Day is traditionally a day to celebrate the life of St Stephen a Christian / Catholic Saint with connections to Ireland. Some parts of Ireland, people dress like beggers / poor people and sing a traditional song and collect money for charity.
In The UK, it was traditionally a day when the wealthy people would give "boxes of money or presents" to their servants, trades people or charities.
In both countries it is a public holiday, with banks and most businesses and transport closed. It is a day to spend with family or to do charity events. Depending on where you live some families go for a walk, go to a pantomime theatre show, visit family and friends, etc etc.
Or you can just spend it on the sofa, watching Christmas TV, vegging out.
Food on this day in my family is called stretch or starve day. Basically there is enough food left over from Christmas Day and everyone just helps themselves, and grazes before passing out while watching more Christmas TV.
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