That Glow of Achievement

Those quiet moments before your guests arrive.

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Sipping on a well-earned glass of fizz.

Smiling smugly. 

And with time to reflect.

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For the food has been prepped and I’ve been scrubbed up - I love that glow of satisfaction and anticipation that is those few moments between hard graft and party. 

I hosted my family Christmas party yesterday.  I love the opportunities we have to get together as one big happy family.  Of course, I always make far too much food.  Do you over-cater too?

These photos may display a feeling of calm and serenity.
But my party prepping was not without an eleventh hour panic.

Firstly, let me tell you that my sausage roll making is one of my Christmas family party traditions. I love making them for my guys and gals.

And you can’t beat a homemade sausage roll eh?

So the day before the party found me lovingly creating several different types of rolls using a whole range of flavoured sausages and fresh herbs.  These were possibly going to be my best creations to date.  Yes, I was feeling smug.

My Corny Christmas Playlist belted out as I chopped and rolled, creating a magicly festivite mood.
I was feeling smug and very, very happy.

Towards the end of prepping my sausage rolls, (enough to feed the entire parish!), I discovered one of my nails was without its glittery gel nail covering. Horror!!!

 I had no idea if it had fallen into the sausage mix or had dislodged itself before I started food prep.  And of course I couldn’t take a gamble with my family’s well-being.  And yes, the air was blue with angry expletives.
I stepped away from the sausage rolls.
When the anger finally melted away with a trickle of mothers’ ruin, boy was I disheartened.

 So as soon as M&S opened next morning I was in there clearing their shelves of sausage rolls.  They were Oakham-good of course, but I’m sure mine would have oozed that little more flavor with the extras that come from baking for those you love - thought, variety of flavors ... and maybe a glittery gel nail thrown into the mix!

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Outfit deets:

Sparkly bead trim knitted dress, Monsoon, current - I did warn you you’d be seeing it a lot!

Black wedge heels, Clark’s, old

Do you savour that little window before your guests arrive?  

When you’re more than a little exhausted after dashing crazily around the house as you tick off the zillion To Do items on your party prep list?

Do you celebrate your achievements with a glass of fizz?

What has been your fave or go-to socializing outfit this Christmas?
And have you had a Christmas cooking disaster too?!!!

A la perchoine,

Mary x.

P. s.  I’m case you’re wondering what happened to my abandoned sausage rolls :
TP spooned out the sausage mix and froze it for forensic investigation at a later date; the broken and battered pastry was binned.