Christmas Time

CHRISTMAS TIME IN LONDON BABY. There's always a big list of 'must-do's for me: Hot chocolate, family board games, cuddling up by the fire and watching bridget jones and love actually, putting up the christmas tree, preparing for Santa's arrival (big deal), looking at the christmas lights, singing carols and eating cheese until it comes out of my ears (not literally, don't panic) and chocolate, oh lots and lots of chocolate.

I was SO CLOSE to having to stay in Taiwan and miss my first ever Christmas with my family - my favourite time of the year. I love being with my family and I was (and still am) very thankful I got given a few days off for Christmas. So there I went, with my 4 days, spending one and a half flying from Taiwan - Hong Kong - London - Hong kong - Taiwan, back just in time for the press conference, chinese notes all in tac!

ANYHOW, since I've been so crap at keeping you all up to date I thought I'd give you a little insight on what I got up to this Christmas (not just because my cousin is sitting next to me watching a violent movie that I'm not really so keen on..). Christmas =

Christmas nails!

Christmas Songs! I LOVE CHRISTMAS SONGS SO MUCH MUCH MUCH! Doesn't it just make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside?

Bianca (little sis) and I 

Seeing my drop dead gorgeous other half!

Eating with my drop dead gorgeous other half.

Ohh christmas tree oh christmas tree! Isn't she to die for? I didn't make it for the decorating unfortunately but I'm so glad I even got to see it! Somehow my little one back in Taiwan just didn't compare to this beauty.

One of my favourite favourite things to do during Christmas time in London is go to Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. Christmas markets, endless supply of goodies, baileys hot chocolate, ice skating rink, ferris wheels, carnival games, food, food food..

A must if you're ever in London during Christmas! Every year, same place (just be prepared to brave the cold, blah!). Ok hmmm what else ..

The Hippodrome! YES THATS RIGHT ITS CASINO TIME WOOOOO (no gambling addiction I SWEAR!).

My very thoughtful sister got the family tickets to watch Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin (no, not the real deal but you know - AMAZING). Jazz music, ahhhh... and you know what goes along real swell with jazz music?

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

This little baby was called 'Millionaires Mac & Cheese' and consisted of baked macaroni & gruyere topped with black truffle & a poached pheasant egg (I'm normally not a big mac and cheese person but with a description like that, I made an exception!).

Now on to dessert (this is why I love having a sister to share with - at least we can both have eyes bigger than our stomachs together. I feel a bit more normal than when I'm flying solo, you know, with my eating habits..)

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING (loveeeeee love love of my life). 

"Does it come with ice-cream?"

"Erm, I can add a scoop for you if you want.."

IT ALMOST CAME WITHOUT A SCOOP OF VANILLA. Such a close call. I normally never ask but my foodie senses must have just known something was up (wow I really am tired, forgive me, please).

YUMMY.

Mum and Dad's passionfruit creme brulee. Drool worthy.

CASINO TAIMEE! My illegal photo (I won't tell if you won't), hence why its a little blurry as I got a telling off mid shot grr. I love games! I don't really know roulette so I left the pros and joined in on a little black jack (which I know due to my awesome up bringing on chinese new year black jack wahooo!). I've fortunately never walked out of a Casino with less than I walk in on. I sent myself a limit to play for fun, make a little and then walk away a happy chappy (so sensible, I know!).

Moving on... oh yes, christmas eve desserts

Bianca's friggin amazing white chocolate berry trifle ahhhhhhhhh I'M SO LUCKY MY SISTER IS SUCH A GOOD COOK AND FEEDS ME YUMMY THINGS.

Malteser cake ohhh my goody goodness.

Now down to the essentials. Bianca went all out last year and got us made these (big) bad boys.

Let's just say we think ourselves to be pretty good little angels.. then of course, we waited..

SANTA CAME YAYYYYY

LOOK AT ALL MY YUMMY CHOCOLATE. My breakfast, hehehe. Come on! ONCE A YEAR! Bianca and I wake up super early and scamper up the stairs every year to my grandmas room (she gets a stocking too which means you're never too old for santa!) with her 'sexy santa boot' stocking and open them together!

After, we proceed to wake up mum and dad, share our excitement for Christmas (which usual involves some sort of jumping on beds like we're five year olds), pour ourselves a cup of tea and all head into the living room where the real party begins..

Unanimous vote not to show how we all looked this morning, but there was a lot of wrapping paper flying about!

Bianca's CHANEL!

Yay! For my perfume collection, wahoo!

Indeed it was a pretty joyous occasion. One of the best things about the lead up to Christmas is buying presents for people and I LOVE the feeling you get when you watch someone up up their present and fall head over heels in love with it. I spend so much time looking for the perfect gift for people because its so worth the joy it brings others - just like how happy it makes me to know people put in time and effort to get me things they think I'll like. I love my family so, so much. I always over do it on the gifts but its just nice for people to have lots of things to open! Grandma seemed pretty happy with her gifts.. in fact here's one right now..

BOOM.

Her brand new toy. Hello Jack Daniels!

Bianca and I were pretty chuffed too..

Victoria's Secret fashion show here we come!

Well, maybe after our miraculous growth spurt - move over Miranda, it's time for some eurasian invasion (I'm totally kidding I LOVE YOU MIRANDA KERR!).

We then ventured over to the cousins (unfortunately our aussie fam didn't make it over this year - we normally alternate where we celebrate christmas each year between Australia and England so that each year one side doesn't have to travel.. except we always have to living bang in the middle - doh Singapore! I love it really though.).

HAII HAMIE! (Enjoying his new shorts a bit too much there..).

I know they hate being on my blog but I just couldn't not have a family shot up!

Cousinly love!

Swear courtesy of the best sister in the world.

BABY BENJI!

Reunited with his brother Reggie! Little cuties.

Picked the best mug in the cupboard.

Post cracker bursting. For those of you who don't know its kind of a tradition to all yank these beautiful crackers together and then spend the rest of dinner laughing at non-funny jokes, working out how to use the most useless cracker gifts and goofing around in crowns that never seem to fit. The best.

Ice cream cake, yes yes yes!

I rarely ever eat it, but one of my favourite parts of dinner is watching the Christmas cake light up with fire. Well, actually my other favourite probably just about comes out on top. Family dinner games!

This is what happens when your asian mum gets involved. I LOVE YOU MUMMY you're so cute!

We got changed into something a little more comfortable (with the excuse that we wanted to relax after our hectic 'Just Dance 4' sesh on the wii, but really it was so that we could be a little more comfortable as our stomachs filled up to the max..)

And then back home it was! After getting over the 'I've eaten so much I'm going to be sick' feeling I just had to..

Go and do this (plus another bowl). Thank goodness christmas is only once a year (although I guess I'm greedy all year round - hmph).

Next day I was up up and away to Taiwan! So there you have it! A few snippety-snaps of Christmas! I'll try get some up of New Year soon when I have time - let me know what you prefer me blogging about! I'm clueless! I really use this space to let you guys know what I've been up to so you've gotta fill me in. It's all for you!

Lots of love, 

Ming xx.