Christmas Spirits and Winter Demons

So, Christmas has come and gone and everyone is celebrating, coming together or complaining incessantly about how much they hate Christmas, how alone they are, or how it's all just a conspiracy to make us consume more things we don't need. 


For me, it's been a little bit of everything. Although I don't consider myself the complaining type, there were times where I was unhappy with the situation. Not being the aggressive, risk taking type, there's always a change of falling through the cracks and not getting invited to any New Years Eve parties, and there's always that moment where you're not sure if your mother and grandmother are on the edge of drunk of if you can get away with pouring them another drink. 

In the spirit of giving, the Dutch people collective raised 8.621.004 Euros for charity. 

National radio station 3FM locked 3 DJs in a glass house with no food and barely and sleep for a week in Leiden, organised several actions around the country, invited people to do the same, and allowed people to come see the DJs at the house and request songs in exchange for a donation. Naturally, I went to see the house with some friends. We almost managed to get to the front of the crowd, but gave up around dinner time. It's pretty amazing to think that when the Mother's in war zones in Africa this money is going to have so little, we have 8.6 million euros to spare, that we can just GIVE away, without eating any less for it. It's also pretty impressive to think, that despite the economic crisis, and the fact that the government is spending less and less on international aid we're atill capable of raising more money than last year, and the year before that and the year before that. 

Coming together, we did. First I spent 2 days cooking with my dad and eating with my family. It was a 4 course masterpiece. As always. Unfortunately, I no longer own a nice macro lens, and I only had a phone with me. I want to get back into food photography. 

 Duck Breast with Red Port Sauce

 Coquilles st Jaques with a Gruyere Gratin

 Home Made Forest Fruit Sorbet with Champagne

 Stoofpeertjes!

 Beef Wellington with Paté and Wild Mushroom filling.

 Roasted Potatoes with fresh Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, and Oregano

 Espresso Panna Cotta with Pistachio Nuts

Coffee with Leonidas Belgian Chocolates

The next day, I got together with some friends for another dinner, which was cooked for me. 

Unfortunately there is also the constant reminder that you are single around Christmas and New Years. I don't mind being single, but when everyone else seems to be in a relationship, and is spending every waking second together it can become quite frustrating. Especially when you stop to think when you were last kissed under the mistletoe or at new years midnight and decide it was atleast 7, maybe 8 years ago... Holidays are always two-sided. They're both lovely, and confronting. Did you fulfill all your resolutions this year? Have you achieved anything since last January 1st?

Fortunately, I have achieved a bit this year, and I am in a better place than this time last year. Unfortunately, I would have liked to lose another 5 to 10 kgs (not complaining about the 12 lost though), would have liked to meet some more interesting people, taken up a new hobby, been a bit richer and a tad more successful. Then again, I'm only 24, and have a whole other year to keep achieving my goals.

In the end, I didn't consume much more than usual (I spent a few Euros on a box of chocolates for my parents) and I wasn't spoiled with lavish gifts from anyone else either. I had a nice time with family and friends, I can ignore people who complain on facebook to the point where I want to strangle them and make them realize how much they effectively have. And, optimistically, I still have 2 whole days to find someone to kiss at midnight.