It's Chriiiiistmaaassss!

Snowball Fight

You will need to read the title in the manner of Noddy Holder.

After a long journey (3 hours drive to the airport; an 8 hour flight; another 2 hour drive; and endless hanging around at airports) we finally arrived at my mum's house. We had a couple of days of seeing family and friends (seeing as much of my Mum as possible because she was flying off to Chennai, India on Boxing Day).

Playing in the snow

Christmas morning we were treated by my brother-in-law to a breakfast of muffins, poached egg and poached haddock. After exchanging presents with my family, we set off to Mark's parents' home in time for lunch. After watching The Queen's speech at 3pm, we exchanged presents. At 7pm we watched The Christmas Invasion. Although it didn't snow on Christmas Day (so was not officially a "white Christmas"), we were treated to ample quantities of snow over Boxing Day and the following days.

We stayed there until the 28th, when we headed off for Birmingham to visit friends. On the 29th we headed to my sister's house, ready for a New Year's party on the 31st.

For a Canadian view of Christmas in the UK, you might want to read The Anglo File, Too.

Mark's parents' home in the snow.

The Christmas Invasion

On Christmas Day we watched The Christmas Invasion. It was so flagged-up that the Radio Times devoted a full ten pages to it. It did not disappoint.

This is what Charlie Brooker had to say about it in The Guardian's The Guide:

...it's possibly the greatest Christmas episode of any programme ever.

...David Tennant...immediately and effortlessly makes the character of The Doctor his own. If anything, he's even better than Eccleston was -- which ought to be impossible.

...At this rate, I hope and fully expect to see Russell T Davies immortalised on our national currency within my lifetime.

I couldn't have put it better myself.