White Christmas?

In church today members of the congregation are given the opportunity to pick a Christmas carol and unaccompanied sing the line from Good King Wenceslas – when the snow lay round about deep and crisp and even. It could describe Christmas in Portree, but actually today is a balmy 9 degrees without even a hint of frost – let alone snow. The mild weather however, did not deter many from wearing their Christmas patterned Fairisle sweaters to church.

A little pine tree growing in a ditch on the side of the road and a £10 set of Christmas lights almost turns a house-sit into a home. Santa sacks were filled with some simple gifts bought locally (a pair of gloves for Wendy and a woollen ball cap for Richard) plus a few goodies from the supermarket.

Last night we enjoyed our own Christmas Eve feast put together with purchases from the local Co-op including roast chicken, potatoes and pork pies. Our hosts raise pigs and they kindly supplied us with smoked ham and the ingredients to make a local Christmas delicacy; pigs in blankets; that is pork sausages wrapped in bacon. The feast was topped off with store-bought mince pies, cream and ice cream.

After church we enjoyed an experience unique for us; Christmas lunch in a lovely historic hotel (a gift from our kids- thanks guys!)

Christmas lunch included

·       Hors d’oeuvres with a cheesy tart, pate and another that tasted like Pecks paste

·      Butternut soup with chestnuts

·      Hot smoked salmon and scallops

·      Winter plum and lime sorbet

·      Mains of roast turkey or beef accompanied by roast veggies (we have one of each and share)

·      Christmas Pudding or Pave (a very fancy chocolate cheesecake)

·      Tea, rum balls and shortbread.

For the first time in a very long time Christmas came and went without either of us raising a sweat. Of course, it’s not the same being away from family, but as a one-off, our conclusion is that Christmas in this part of the world is pretty cool!