American Christmas: Christmas day

The day started foggy and dull, the forecast said rain and thunderstorms.  Those were to come, but for now Christmas day in America is like Christmas day in England.  Presents are shared and unwrapped, there is wrapping paper everywhere and everyone is having a good time.  After presents at Robert and Karen’s we drove the 90 minute journey to Robert’s mother’s house where most of the family is gathering.  First though I needed fuel.  Filling up is not the same in America.  My credit card swipes just fine, but I don’t have a zip code, so I have to pay in the kiosk BEFORE I can put gas (petrol) in the card.  $40 was the suggested amount, but the car is full before we get to that.  I was told by the guy in the kiosk that it will only charge me for what I use - we will see.

90 minutes later we are at the family home.  There are loads of people there, some we met before, on our two day excursion, others are new faces.  Not for the first time I struggle with the accent, but nevertheless it is good to see people again.

Food is served buffet style and I hear the call ‘English people first’, so we get to have first choice of the food.  There are things I am not expecting to like, but do.  A jelly, almost trifle like, made with cranberries and marshmallows (cranberry salad).  We discuss the differences in the approaches to Christmas celebration.  They are not that great.  The only real difference is provided by the climate – people can go outside, which is rare in the extreme at home.

More presents are shared.

The TV – always on, it seems, has dire reports of approaching tornadoes, and maps of where they are most likely to occur.  There are stories of near misses with falling trees, damaged houses and wrecked cars, but no-one is really alarmed, or even that interested.

We all then move to another house for board games and video games.  The game of the night for Robert’s generation is ‘Clue’ (Cluedo).  Although common in the UK, I have never played it before.  We play in teams as there are too many people.  Jo knows and loves the game, and teaches me the strategy.  By luck, and luck only, we win the second game, at least 2 other teams are robbed.

I am offered a Sweet Water ale – a very interesting flavour and a very nice drink, proving that Americans do proper beer as well as their more famous brands (bud, etc).  I really must introduce some of them to Doombar.

We spend the night at Robert’s brother’s house, they are away.  Sleeping in strange places is rarely easy, but here we just fall asleep, and wake only slightly early.

Being away for Christmas is something that Jo has long wanted to do, so that should count to the 25-things total as well.