My first Christmas without family I spend in Cork. Ireland, and Cork, prepared already for a long time for this feast. Just the day after Halloween, so from 1 November, all shops were decorated with all sorts of Christmas decoration and also the streets were one by one transformed with lights and Christmas trees. Santa officially arrived on 21 November, the same day Sinterklaas arrived in the Netherlands, and from that day all kinds on Christmas events started such as lighting Christmas trees, opening of ice skate rings and Christmas markets.
I had some trouble getting into the Christmas mood, because for me Christmas preparations start after Sinterklaas. So when my parents visited me around Sinterklaas, it was a bit weird to visit Christmas markets and hear Christmas songs in the streets, as it was Sinterklaas for us. But after that weekend I decorated my room with a few Christmas balls to get a bit of a Christmas feeling.
Now Christmas is already almost over and I must say it is strange to be alone these days. All my housemates from last three months left the house and the new ones are only in their rooms, so I do not have any contact with them. The only advantage is that I can do whatever I want in the house.
At Christmas eve I went to a Christmas mass at 4pm in Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral. It was not a normal mass but it was ‘The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols’. Nine lessons from the bible from the time before and after the birth of Jesus Christ were told, followed by carols song by the choir, and by the choir and the congregation. A special way to start the Christmas days, also because it finished at 5.15pm instead of somewhere in the evening.
The Christmas days I spend at home. Relaxing, sleep late, good food, listening to Christmas songs and watching movies; a perfect way to spend two days. First Christmas day I had an extended dinner. My starter was salmon with lettuce and tomato; the main course chicken filled with a creamy pepper sauce, baked potatoes with bacon, and lettuce with tomato and cucumber; the desert was toffee ice cream. Everything was delicious.
On second Christmas day I kept the dinner easier. I baked a ready made quiche with bacon and leek and creamy cheese and egg in the oven, and served this with the leftover lettuce mixed with tomato and red pepper. I finished dinner with the nice toffee ice cream.
Christmas in Ireland: another good experience!
Starter
Main Course
Desert
Main Course second Christmas day