ee how Christmas is done on this side of the pond.How do you like this outfit? It's a Scottish tweed coat [very warm] and Irish Gor-tex walking boots. I look like I belong on the Commons!
Since the Brits don't have American Thanksgiving to tell them when to kick-off the holiday season, it was interesting to see how the momentum was built. It was around the week before Thanksgiving when the radio station that I listen to in the morning started to talk about playing Christmas songs. Mostly because one of the DJs' wanted it to be Christmas soon. There was one played, and then I didn't really hear any Christmas songs until around the 15th of December. On Christmas Eve all day, every third song was a non-Christmas song played. On Christmas Day, every 5th song played WAS a Christmas song. I guess they wore the records out the day before!
In the Village, the shop owners all declared the first Sunday in December [6th] as the shopping kick-off. They offered discounts and extra hours for that Sunday only.
Father Christmas [aka Santa] arrived in the Village the same day ... on horseba
ck! He was having a hard time holding the horse steady as he waved and yelled, "Happy Christmas".That's another interesting thing, the expression is "Happy Christmas", not Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. In fact, I was at an open house on Christmas Eve and when one of the guests was leaving, I got a kiss on two cheeks and as I responded to the Happy Christmas with a "Happy Holidays" ... I got, "Yeah, that's right. You are an American." I have not seen any evidence of Hanukkah. I didn't hear any dreidel songs, and haven't spotted a menorah anywhere. I saw on Facebook that Kwanza began yesterday in the States in the South. That's not here either.
So for Christmas Eve, I went to a friend's open house; and then came home, let a fire and fell asleep watching a Christmas movie [there is going to be a theme here].
On Christmas Day, I got up and made a pumpkin pie, and then opened presents! I got a box from my parents, a box from Heidi, and a box from Judy and Joanna in Austin. I had a few things from work. And then I ordered some stuff on-line. I saved it all until Christmas morning. Allie and I took a walk on the Commons and then we drove to Ramu's house for Christmas dinner. Natalie and Reise and their two kids, Jewel and Jess joined us. We had a great time. Jewel made friends with Allie by sharing her bag of cheese puffs with her. I came home, lit a fire and fell asleep watching a Christmas movie.
On Bo
xing Day, it was sunny out, so I decided it was time 
to figure out how to get to Richmond Park. It butts up against Wimbledon Park and it's twice the size, but you have to cross the A4 to get there. It was always too far for Misty to travel, and it never occurred to me to drive there, of course!It is a gorgeous park! And very different from Wimbledon. Wimbledon is more wooded and you can get lost in the trees. Richmond is massive and you can get lost in the size!
There were herds of red and fallow deer roam freely within much of the park.
Richmond Park supports a large population of what are believed to be Ring-necked or Rose-ringed Parakeets. These bred from birds that escaped or were freed from captivity. They frequent my back yard!
During King Edward's (1272-1307) reign the area was known as the Manor of Sheen. The name was changed to Richmond during Henry VII's reign. In 1625 Charles I brought his court to Richmond Palace to escape the plague in London and turned it into a park for red and fallow deer. His decision, in 1637, to enclose the land was not popular with the local residents, but
he did allow pedestr
ians the right of way. Richmond remains the smallest National Park in the UK. Almost three times as large as New York City's Central Park, it is Britain's largest urban walled park, and the largest of the Royal Parks in London In 1847 Pembroke Lodge became the home of the then Prime Minister, Lord John Russel. It is now a popular restaurant with glorious views across the Thames Valley. Who knew?
At the end of Boxing Day, I was invited to visit my neighbors, two doors over, for a drink. Yvonne and Stuart have two dogs who wanted equal time on my lap. It was nice to share a single malt and learn a little about my neighbors and land lord. Stuart hunts birds and brought me a pheasant a couple of weekends ago. I had to learn how to clean the bird! Last night I learned the Stuart worked for Humana when it was a hospital company! Small world!
