English Christmas Day

I met my friend Sue in the Nottingham Patchwork Group two years ago. She has become one of my few friends in Nottingham. This year, she and her husband David invited us to share Christmas with them and some of their friends (Melisa, Aaron, his brother Jacob, and the little baby Basel). We had a lovely time there and they created a magical environment that will remain in our memory forever. Let me show you how, so you can understand what I am talking about.

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Conocí a Sue hace 2 años en el grupo de patchwork de Nottingham. Desde entonces se ha convertido una de mis pocas amigas aquí. Este año, ella y su marido nos invitaron a compartir con ellos y con unos amigos suyos la comida de navidad. Nos lo pasamos muy bien y supieron crear un ambiente mágico que recordaremos siempre. Dejadme que os enseñe como lo hicieron, para que podáis entender de qué estoy hablando.

First, Sue gives a lot of attention to details, and her house is not just a house, it is a home. You can feel it immediately, welcoming, and warming your heart with Christmas decorations during this season. Many of these decorations are made by her, such as the Christmas balls hanging on the windows. Such a beautiful house to live in!

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Para empezar, Sue es muy detallista, y su casa no es sólo una casa, es un hogar. Uno lo siente inmediatamente, acogedor, y enternece el corazón con las decoraciones navideñas que hay por toda la casa en este período del año. Muchas de estas decoraciones las ha hecho ella, como las bolas de Navidad que cuelgan de las ventanas. ¡Es una casa preciosa donde vivir!

Christmas lunch was just perfect! Here are some features. Doesn't it all look delicious? It was!

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La comida de Navidad fue perfecta! Aquí hay algunas imágenes del evento. ¿No parece todo delicioso? ¡Lo estaba!

1. Lunch time - 2. David cutting the turkey - 3. The soup - 4. The sorbet - 5. The turkey with the stuffing and many other things - 6. Desserts: English trifle, Christmas pudding, and meringue - 7. Christmas pudding - 8. Candle lights - 9. Sue cutting the Christmas pudding - 10. Crackers. 

As you can see, we had a traditional and elegant English Christmas lunch, and everything was delicious and beautiful! We played games to know each other a bit better and we opened the crackers all together. For those that don't know what crackers are, you can see the picture 10, they look like big candies made of paper. Inside there is a small present and a paper crown. They are opened between two people each, pulling hard on each side. It is something traditional here.

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Como podeis ver, tuvimos una comida elegante y tradicional Inglesa, y todo estaba delicioso y hermoso. Jugamos a juegos para conocernos un poco mejor y abrimos los crackers todos juntos. Para aquellos que no sepan lo que son los crackers, se pueden ver en la foto, en el número 10. Se parecen a caramelos gigantes de papel. Dentro hay un pequeño regalo y una corona de papel. Se tienen que abrir entre dos personas, cada una tirando fuerte de uno de los lados. Es algo tradicional aquí.

Later on, we went to the forest and David and Aaron read some poems underneath a very big and old oak. It was beautiful and magical!

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Después de la comida, nos fuimos al bosque y Aaron y David leyeron poemas bajo el viejo y grande roble. Fue precioso y mágico.

Underneath the old Oak

Then, we came back to the house to open the presents. 

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Luego, volvimos a la casa y llegó el momento de abrir los regalos. 

1. Basel opening the presents with Jane and Melisa - 2. David opening one of his presents - 3. Aaron opening his presents with Basel's help - 4. Basel reading one of his presents

Basel was in love with the dog Charlie, the sweetest dod in earth! Basel was crawling to get the dog all the time, and was kissing him with passion! The dog was not complaining either. Such a beautiful image!

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Basel estaba enamorado del perro Charlie, el perro más dulce de la tierra! Basel gateaba hacia donde el perro estuviera y lo besaba o agarraba con pasión! El perro ni se inmutaba. Una imagen preciosa!

Basel and the dog Charlie

I leave you with this last picture of David and Sue and a poem that they read to us under that old Oak. Sergio and I wish to thank them again for their kindness and for such a wonderful day! Thank you very much!

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Os dejo con esta última imagen de David y Sue, y el poema que nos leyó David bajo el viejo roble. Sergio y yo quisieramos agradecerles de nuevo su amabilidad y un día tan estupendo! ¡Muchísimas gracias!

Sue and David Otherwise I got out of bed on two strong legs. It might have been otherwise. I ate cereal, sweet milk, ripe, flawless peach. It might have been otherwise. I took the dog uphill to the birch wood. All morning I did the work I love. At noon I lay down with my mate. It might have been otherwise. We ate dinner together at a table with silver candlesticks. It might have been otherwise. I slept in a bed in a room with paintings on the walls, and planned another day just like this day. But one day, I know, it will be otherwise.  Jane Kenyon  _______ Merry Christmas to everyone! Feliz Navidad a todos!