Well it’s that time of year again when I toss all literary ambitions aside, consumed as I am by the anxiety which comes with the responsibility for cooking the Christmas meal.
Will it all be overdone, underdone or not done at all on account of some last minute equipment failure? Hopefully, as in previous years, somehow or other, I will move towards the dining table with cooked turkey on display and wearing that Christmas jumper which covers a thousand human failings.
I hope you and yours enjoy a similar suspension of anxiety and get to enjoy the pleasure of family which few festivals offer us as richly as does Christmas.
Happy Christmas everyone!
Thank you for all your support during the year. To each and every one of you “It means more than I can ever say”
countingducks 
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas, dear chap! I’m sure the turkey will be stunning and the jumper even more so. It has been a joy and a privilege to read your words this year. I hope for many, many more in 2018 x
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope you have a lovely Christmas and a big hug from all of us at the Countingducks marketing department including Freddie Frog, Jerry Turtle and myself of course. Luckily my Christmas jumper is startling enough to suspend all thoughts of rational criticism as I approach the table with my well-cooked Turkey!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Merry Christmas!
LikeLiked by 1 person
And the same to you. I hope you and yours have a lovely time
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nothing like a startling jumper to distract attention from any deficiencies in the turkey – anyway, what does it matter as long as you have all the trimmings? Sending you equally warm wishes for a very joyful Christmas and a happy new year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hope yours is a lovely one 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wishing you, your friends, and your many readers a merry Christmas with all its delights from the Turkey on the table to the tremors in the heart as you listen to melodies, and exchange presents and stories.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much, Your thoughts are very appreciated 🙂
LikeLike
I find that if I have another wine the turkey’s always cooked to perfection. Happy Christmas to one of my favourite bloggers – and to all those he loves!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree wine can make man cooking errors easier to endure, and I will be making sure I point that out to my guests long enough before the meal for the wine to have worked its magic by the time the turkey moved into view ! I hope you and yours also enjoy the very best Christmas
LikeLiked by 1 person
i love your very human description of the holiday experience – best to all of you, including the turkey, who may have to endure all sorts of trials and tribulations.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I used to breed turkeys and always apologised on behalf of humanity as I send them off to their unfortunate destiny
LikeLiked by 1 person
Even when writing a simple post about Christmas, you deliver. Merry Christmas! Oh and wine makes it all better, if you don’t overdo it 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much. I hope yours is lovely and I’m sure the meal will be cooked to perfection 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too. I’m cooking for the whole family this year so no pressure!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Have a good and merry one with all the trimming, gaeity and laughter.
I miss my Christmas jumper, a sparkly red one knitted for me by my Mum about thirty years ago. Sadly it suffered one wash and tumble dry too many and went like string.
LikeLike
Christmas jumpers can distract from the quality of the cooking if they are garish enough. Mine, is certainly on the wild side so lets hope it does the trick !
LikeLike
Haha! Photos please! Hubby won’t wear a festive sweater, though we have treated him to a new one. It will be just us and Maggie, so I shall be cooking dinner in 2 or 3 pans on the hob as my cooker’s iffy. Doesn’t bother me though as I’m used to it and stuffing ‘fries’ just as well!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m very likely to post a picture of the jumper on active service, that is worn by yours truly, but only after its primary duty of distracting my guests has been achieved 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wishing you a very merry Christmas, and all the best in 2018.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much. I hope you have a lovely one too, complete with one or two of those unusual treats which always make the Christmas period that bit more special 🙂
LikeLike
You realize, of course, now that the proverbial cat is out of the proverbial bag vis a vis the jumper, you are expected, nay, obligated to post a photo for all your admiring readers to see. The anticipation alone will make for a happy Christmas for us all. In the meantime, best of the season to you and yours as well!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was thinking that might well be the case and will very likely post a picture of me wearing said jumper once it has finished distracting my lucky guests from the result of my cooking. I hope you and yours have a lovely time, and I’m sure you will do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And to you, Peter. Here’s to a new year of writing and publishing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope so, for both of us. I will be raising a glass to you this Christmas, and thanking you once again for all your support and kindness over the years
LikeLike
Have yourself a merry Christmas and a prosperous new year in 2018! Cheers!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much, and the same to you 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome 😊
LikeLike
Oh, I love this! I can just picture you in your Christmas jumper!! ENJOY the holidays and here’s to a creative 2018!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is some discussion about putting a photo of me in it on FB after Christmas. I know the jumper itself has an unseemly appetite for publicity and is angling for a photo shoot. Hope you have a truly wonderful Christmas 🙂 🙂
LikeLike
All the very best to you and yours, Peter. Time to rest the old grey matter and soak up delights of the season!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope you have a lovely Christmas as well, and thank you your wonderful and reflective comments which are always a joy to read 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Always my pleasure.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rest assured that your wit and fine writing have made the world a better place, you certainly brightened up many of my days with your wonderfully rich tales of laughable humanity. Best wishes for joyous holidays!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much for such a lovely comment. Your comments are always very appreciated and connecting with people like you is a large part of the joy I get through writing 🙂
LikeLike
Happy holidays Peter! Luckily, I come from a long line of women who don’t cook so expectations at holiday meals are relatively low.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t do much of the cooking, but it sort of accepted that someone has to step up to the plate and ruin the Christmas meal, and I seem to get the job!!
LikeLike
Merry Christmas, Peter, to you and your family.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much. I hope you have a lovely time with yours 🙂
LikeLike
Oh, I think I will… Christmas morning with my granddaughters 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy Christmas, dear Peter, to you and your family! And Happy Cooking 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much. As with all my culinary endeavours, I cling to optimism and politeness of my guests!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Merry Crimbo, Mr Ducks, and good luck!
Sx
LikeLike
And a Happy Christmas to you and yours
LikeLiked by 1 person
A very merry Christmas to you, too, Peter xx
LikeLike
A very merry Christmas, Peter, and hope the Christmas meal is a grand success!
LikeLike
Happy Christmas, Peter! Given the tenderloin roasted here came out perfect, I trust you did quite a masterful job with the turkey!
LikeLike
I do hope your Christmas Day was enjoyable and not stressful. Even though it is the season of joy, there are enough things to spin it all out of control. It’s been a long year for me and I look forward to the next… Thanks for staying in touch. I hope to do better in 2018. 🙂
LikeLike
And a happy 2018 to you, my friend.
And I’m so proud and happy to inform you that I won the ugliest Christmas ” sweater ” ( jumper ? ) at our office Christmas party. ~(^_^~)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think my jumper and your jumper could be friends !!
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL !
LikeLike