Merry Xmas and Happy New Year everyone

 As I've said, fully intend to have a good Christmas, likewise don't want to do everything today, so started preparations last night...

Start with the alcohol... Buck's Fizz when we get up, the Champers is dual purpose - add some of that Norfolk blackcurrant liqueur to make Kir Royale, or use neat. Or perhaps the odd cocktail... Finally, for the meal I'm going with a Chapel Down Bacchus... which is a pretty decent English wine (and these days it's stocked by Sainsbury's - the vinyard is not far from Canterbury - that's where we first found it)

The goose was originally meant for when our son visited us over the New Year - except now that he can't come it's being pressed into Xmas service. The veg will act as a trevit and then a base for the gravy - though might (will) need to separate some of the goose fat off first!

I became a great believer in one pot roasted veg a while back... easy and tastes better than soggy steamed. I'll cut up and add a rasher of bacon before I start cooking it. A separate tray will be put out  later with the pigs in blankets and potatoes.

Other things will include apple sauce, cranberry sauce and redcurrant jelly - the first made ages ago and frozen, the rest in a jar. We usually have Yorkshire Pudding as well (Aunt Bessie's formerly, Sainsbury's have proved just as good since that first period of lockdown and they're cheaper!)

So that's mostly it - dinner about 6, snacks and things probably about 12 or 1, nothing sorted for them yet but quite a few things lying around that cook from frozen...