November Blog entry - Christmas in Cyprus

I have to admit from the offset that I am not a very Christmassy person. Not quite ‘Bah humbug’, just that I think Christmas has lost its meaning, more so now that I live in Cyprus. I will probably be eating all manner of BBQ’d meats as opposed to the traditional Turkey with chestnut stuffing and trimmings. I can’t pretend I don’t miss a decent roasted Turkey and the rest, and YES I could still have it here in Cyprus but it’s not quite the same when the weather outside is like a great Summers day in the UK...when you have one. That is just me though it doesn’t mean that the rest of Cyprus doesn’t get into the mood.

---

This is a Christmas tree erected in Larnaca at the Finigouthes promenade in 2011. It was made on site using recycled cans and plastic bottles.

Click on the link to see a time lapse video on how it was put together.
https://youtu.be/zb7TLzIGFe4

I’ll be sitting outside albeit with a jumper on, turning the spit on the BBQ and sipping ‘Tzivania’ to keep warm. None of that disgusting HOT wine! How can you drink hot wine? I’ll go through the motions of putting up our plastic Christmas tree with my daughter and mainly FOR my daughter. We will add minimal Christmas decorations around the room, i.e. stupid plastic Snowmen that light up and blink, a giant stuffed Reindeer and a few other such idiotic things that have absolutely nothing to do with Christmas from a religious point of view which is what it’s supposed to be about....isn’t it?
The highlight of Christmas for me is the fact that Christmas morning I always get to have Smoked Salmon with scrambled eggs and granary toast for breakfast...it’s my traditional Christmas breakfast.

This year on Christmas eve we are going to our favourite restaurant, ‘The Kazani’ and probably have a Meze. Christmas day, apart from my Smoked Salmon, we will be having a Chinese Banquet! Yep Chinese. I will be cooking my speciality, ‘Spicy, Sticky Chicken’, and Sarah will cook her ‘Crispy Duck with pancakes’. Liz, a friend who is joining us will contribute with her surprise speciality. Boxing day will be a running Buffet of anything and everything! No fixed time to eat just pick all day. Of course I will be opening my 16 year old ‘Lagavulin’ Scotch Single Malt and drink it all....then wish I hadn’t! J Mostly Christmas for me means I have managed to live another year, (hope I’m not tempting fate here).
May I take this opportunity to wish you and your family a great Christmas however you spend it. Feel free to let us know here.