Two Days Before Christmas

Two days before Christmas, Mom and I stayed home, while Dad went to work.  After some research, we headed for a shopping "gallery" (a big building with lots of shops, a bit like a mall but nicer), where movies were showing.  We watched the Chronicles of Narnia:  Voyage of the Dawn Treader (in 3-D).  Next, we walked to Westminster Abbey for a Christmas service with carols.  We met Dad, who had cycled from work, and we all waited in the COLD for half an hour, then entered the large abbey.  It was a wonderful service:  we listened to boys with high voices, then older men (the choir), sing; toward the end, a lady came around and lit our candles, which we then held for the rest of the service.  The boys and men wore decorative vestments, including white robes, which I liked.

The day before Christmas, I was so excited.  Dad and I explored Portobello Market to get presents for our French relatives, Sarah and Gilles.  We went to a shop with lacquer-work (furniture with wooden designs). The shop person and Dad talked, and we got a mince pie.  Next we went home and Mom told us the Christmas packages had come. Then at 4:00 we started to make our traditional Christmas Eve dinner: home-made pasta. We used the pasta machine to help us. Then we hung the pasta to dry.

Isabel with the hanging pasta

While it was drying, we took a walk. We looked at the interesting Christmas decorations and the Christmas parties. Then when we got home we ate the pasta with a Gorgonzola and walnut sauce sauce. And on the table there were candles, nature in the form of a pine branch, cool globes and a bottle of wine.  After dinner we had a yummy chocolate course, put cookies out for Santa and went to bed.