If you haven’t read the previous ones, Read them first. You can find them in the category « The tales of lock-down ».
Aldaran celebrated the solstice “in the world beyond the shadows” with his family and friends. His brother Arhon was there and had brought his friend Henry, whith whom he would go to celebrate Christmas, his parents had gotten into the habit of celebrating human traditions. The friend John, a bear – almost literally, and his wife were there, with three adorable bear cubs who wolfed down the mince pies. Luckily, Aldaran’s mother had anticipated and managed to save most of them, which everyone appreciated.
Aldaran was going to have to ask Mrs Watson for her recipe.
As for the dinner, it consisted in salmon, a nut roast for the vegetarians and a mix of vegetables and chestnut, not forgetting the starters and two magnificent Yule logs – it wasn’t too much, considering the amount of people loving dessert around the table.
At Alaric and Pierre’s, the dinner of the 24th was an “apéritif dinatoire” (an aperitif which is like a meal) in front of a Christmas film. For once, Alaric hadn’t joined his family, preferring doing it with Pierre, and George who joined them on the 25th with Tom for a turkey with chestnuts, cooked by Alaric following his mother’s recipe.
The day had started with hot chocolate and freshly baked croissants from the bakery down the street and the opening of presents, because it’s better in pyjamas. And also because they were both kids who were as looking forward to opening their presents as they were of seeing the other one opening his.
Mrs Watson had the joy of seeing her family, and even allowed her daughters – and sons-in-law – to help her, resulting in her re-localisation in an armchair in the lounge where she could listen to her grandchildren telling her all about their lock-downs and what Father Christmas – or rather, their parents – had brought them, and from where she could answer to the questions from the team in the kitchen. They had to reassure her regularly that everything was going well, which she noticed upon seeing the results: it was as good as if she had done it herself, and a lot less tiring – but much less amusing.
Her main room being big enough, the children ate on the table in the lounge and the adults spread out on the dining table, to keep space between them.
They had all been tested before hand, had quarantined themselves before the test to not take any risk, and hadn’t hugged, much to Mrs Watson’s sadness who loved to hug her grandchildren who seemed to enjoy it as much – even if the teenagers grumbled, to keep up appearances.