’Cause no matter how far away you roam…you end up with family. Had my favorite visitors join me in England for Christmas this year and we had a blast! Our countdown to Christmas went something like this:
Wednesday the 21st…
I met Rian, Mom and Dad at Heathrow airport and we caught the coach back to Reading where we walked back to our AirBnB to rest and make plans for the week. That was the remainder of the day. Enjoy this very poor quality photo…though I actually think it is a pretty accurate depiction of the moment.
On Thursday the 22…
we slowly got moving with a tour of Reading. First, we visited my flat to pick up a few things then took a short tour of campus, then headed back to our home for the week to grab a quick lunch before seeing the sights downtown.
On Friday the 23rd (aka Christmas Eve eve)…
we made a day trip into London. While the fam was taking in the sights, I was taking in the fam. I enjoyed playing the tour guide and pretending I knew what I was doing…
Rian made lots of friends on the train, buses and underground. If you are lucky enough to know my brother, you know he can make someone’s day brighter in an instant. If he could, he would spend time talking with every last person in a room. I have always known this about him, but the effect of it wears off after being apart for a while. Watching him chat with fellow passengers on the crowded streets and transport was like watching a kid in a candy store. I felt like his brain was on overload thinking “Who do I make conversation with next?” “What other questions can I ask?” Every interaction was a reminder of how we should meet people with warmth and curiosity. Let’s all be like Rian.
Sights of the day:
Buckingham Palace
Westminster Abbey
Big Ben/Parliament*
*(“Look kids Big Ben Parliament Building!” — throwing this one in there for Dad)
London Bridge
Tower Bridge
Tower of London
Oxford Circus Christmas lights and finished off the evening with a theater performance of Mary Poppins!
On Saturday the 24th (CHRISTMAS EVE!)…
Since we got back so late the night before, it was a slow waking day but once we all were up we went into downtown for some shopping, hot chocolate, and lunch. We went back home, started preparing brunch for the next morning and decorated with a few small items that brought a little of Hermiston to England. Some of you even made an appearance ;) (peep the Christmas cards). We found a church to attend right access the street for a Christmas Eve Carol service. Then to a late dinner. Saw this Christmas lights of downtown Reading once more on our walk back. We finished preparing Christmas brunch items, then Headed to sleep.
On the 25th of December (MERRY CHRISTMAS!)…
In all of my Christmases I can’t remember one where my family has just lazed around all day. That’s exactly what we did this year. And it. Was. Perfect. We stuffed ourselves with cinnamon rolls and breakfast casserole and coffee. Then various sweets we’d picked up the day before. Then a stir fry dinner. All the while watching back to back Christmas films, building a gingerbread house, and playing Uno. Of course, we called family back home as well. A simple, happy, cozy day.
On Monday the 26th (Boxing Day)…
Basically a repeat of Christmas day for us. Recovering from all the resting we did the day before I suppose. We all got outside for a breath of fresh air or a walk at some point. I popped in to the shopping center to see what it looked like on boxing day. It was madness…people were everywhere (gave major black friday energy). But other than that, just sitting and enjoying each other’s company.
Tuesday the 27th…
was for a trip to Legoland in Windsor. Impressive to see the replicas of London and other major cities! Rian and dad had a short Lego building session. Dinner at a pub right next to Windsor castle. The castle was fully booked for the day so we couldn’t get in, but the weather started to go south anyway. We headed for Reading almost immediately after dinner. Not without stopping to take a few pics!
On Wednesday the 28th…
Our final adventure! Everyone helped get my stuff back to my flat on campus. Then we headed to Oxford, where we stopped for high tea (so delicious!) then wandered around Oxford University campus. It had us speechless part of the time. Last minute souvenir shopping. Then back to Reading to get the fam on the road to Heathrow. They flew out the following morning.
__________
The holidays are something I so appreciate each year they come around. My fondness for them shifts and grows as I try them in different ways. This one, I am so glad to say, was a treasure. It was unique. It was my first “hosting” of Christmas. It was a true feeling of reunion with family. I hope you all have had a good holiday season, wherever it might be and even if it looks different than years before. Remember to pop in and -Update Me-. I’d love to hear how you spent your holidays. All the love, the Middletons
___________
Family Feature:
Obviously I had some others along for this grand adventure and I’m sure it’s really them you want to hear from so I asked them to include a few comments as well. Reading these makes me think they should start up a blog too. <3
Rian: Rian says his trip was awesomeness. His favorite part was seeing Reed and Legoland. He would go back to see Reed. (side note: he had the below clip on repeat all week)
Mom: I think it was a family memory making time. A trip I did not think we would necessarily ever have made as a family. Mary Poppins in the West End, double decker bus riding, Oxford University Library, Windsor Castle and market area, chestnuts roasting and fresh donuts made in the street market and the Christmas lights and garlands are highlights. Seeing that Reed has mastered public transit and navigates a foreign university is fascinating. Rian making friends with most people we passed was a study in human relations. Getting Jason and Rian to fly so far so well was exciting. We were blessed with such this opportunity!!
Dad: The older I get the more I like being on my home turf but will always go where my squeaker is!!!! There were so many highlights but being there during Christmas really put an extra special feeling on the trip. All of castles were amazing to see and the history being so much older than the US is hard to wrap my brain around. Reading and England in general, does a fantastic job of mixing the new with the past. For example, walking through the Reading Abbey… which dates back to 1121 on the way to the new shopping center in the town square is just unbelievable to me. It really put the short time we are on earth in perspective. Seeing Rian so engaged in watching Mary Poppins at the theater was a definite highlight as well. I keep calling a Reading a “nice little town” which isn’t exactly true… as the population is roughly 161k people. But the feeling you get when you are there gives you a sense of being home and comfortable with your surroundings. I think the reason I feeling that way, is because our daughter has become so adept with the various modes of transportation. That in turn makes this father worry a little less about his baby being so far away!