a REAL english christmas, part 2

If you’re back for more, after the somewhat overzealous previous post, you’re in for a treat. Remember, all this that happened so far goes only up until we PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY. The real English Christmas hasn’t even begun. 

Sophie's family's house was quaint, homey and beautiful, everything you would want in first, an English home, and second, a place where you are spending Christmas. Warm and cozy, with lots of tea and Christmas decorations and blankets and thick socks, I felt very well taken care of. After a shower and a nap, I was ready for whatever England had to throw at me.

 

Pretty much the first thing that Sophie and her dad mentioned that we needed to do when I got there, was to take me to a “real English pub”. So we climbed in the car to make the 15 minute drive, this pub was apparently worth it, to the most quaint drinking establishment I have ever seen. I would have never thought alcohol could be turned into such a cutesy, christmasy, family-style activity, but it was. there were decorations, dogs babies, even a fireplace with a cozy fire that we sat by as we drank our pints. It wasn’t even 4 o’clock in the afternoon, but I went with it.

For those who make fun of the food in England, I will forever differ with you on that point. Perhaps at certain restaurants, or in some of the bigger cities, you might find a lower quality of food than say Italy or France, but the home cooked meals I had at the Baird’s house transformed me in to the biggest ally England will ever have on this subject. And as always, there was plenty of wine with dinner, champagne with breakfast, cider with lunch, another pint at the pub in the afternoon (as soon as it struck noon we were discussing when to schedule it in) and more wine for dinner and after. Between the food and the alcohol, I was pretty much comatose by the end of each day.

They managed to make me feel right at home for all of their Christmas traditions, those specific to their family as well as the widely held British traditions. For example, we did Christmas crackers at dinner. They are cheap papery plastic things that pop when you pull on them from each end, and then whoever gets the bigger side (like the wishbone) gets the even cheaper little plastic toy on the inside. I also was introduced to Christmas pudding, mincemeat pies (which are amazing and definitely contain no trace of meat whatsoever), crumpets, “real” English tea, and Boxing Day. Still not sure what that last one is, but you can’t win ’em all. 

I’m almost done, I promise, but I’ve saved the best for last. One of Sophie’s traditions with her family is going on long walks/hikes through the fields and trails just on the outskirts of their town. We went on a short one on Christmas, so I got a small taste of what was in store for me, then the next day I got the real deal. Within ten minutes you get out of the town center and into the real pastures, with the low stone walls and the sheep in the distance and the bald trees sprinkling the hills. There used to be an old quarry in the town, so we walked first through the huge holes in the rock left by that part of their history, then walked up in the hills to where the old train tracks went through town. It was fascinating to see how the natural and industrial history of this region collided, and the result centuries later; it was part museum and part state park, part eulogy to mankind’s insistent growth and part testament to the power of nature to reclaim.

All that aside, it was incredible to breathe again in the wide open air, with the smells of winter and trees and mud. Paris does a lot of things for me, and has given me many experiences I’ve never had and will never have again, but there is something about the countryside that will always call me back. This was truly a wonderful way to experience Christmas, and though I missed my family I can't say that I wanted for anything, not food, not holiday spirit, and least of all, not good company.