A Quiet Christmas

Our first Christmas in Scotland was very slow and relaxed.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, ongoing work at the Jacob's plant has put limitations on our travel.  Because of this, we spent our holiday break enjoying everything that the Edinburgh Christmas season had to offer.  The biggest of those being the Edinburgh Christmas Market.  Edinburgh really is a magical city and it's dripping in history and culture like no where I've ever been before.  Even I've surprised myself at how much I've enjoyed living in a tourist city, but there's something surreal about walking down Princes Street as you pass the Scott Monument with Edinburgh Castle looming on the rocks above you.  That experience was enhance with the holiday cheer of the Edinburgh Christmas Market.  I had always heard about European Christmas markets, but the actual experience is much different than anything I've ever had in the US.  The market runs from mid-November until the first week of January.  All of Princes Street Gardens is transformed into a Christmas revival of sorts, with shows, rides, shopping, and food.  Oh the food!  That's what kept bringing us back again and again.  We probably visited the market a half a dozen times during its 6 week run.  The german sausage, steak rolls, prawns, and crab rolls were incredible, and couple that with Belgium waffles, crepes, and all the chocolate and we would have to waddle out to the bus stop after each visit!  We rode the Edinburgh Eye ferris wheel, found our way through the Christmas tree maze, and shopped all the Harry Potter shops.

We brought over a few Christmas decoration, but I had to order a new tree because the plugs are different here.  I ordered a reasonably priced 6.5 foot tree, and although it clearly stated the height on the box, the tree seemed to be very shy of it's description!  Brenna and I put it up one day and when Jacob got home from work he asked "Where's the rest of the tree?"  Apparently 6.5 ft in the US is not equal to 6.5 ft in the UK.

Brenna kept busy with friends over the break with Christmas parties, ice skating, and sleep overs.  We walked through the Christmas at the Botanics at the Royal Botanical Gardens, which turned out to be a dud.  While the Christmas Market was exceptional, the holiday decorations in the area certainly weren't up the standards we were accustomed to in Texas.  We paid nearly £50 to walk a mile in the freezing cold through flood lights shining up into the trees.  It was a little underwhelming.

Edinburgh Christmas Market

Christmas at Royal Botanical Gardens

Despite it being a slow and relaxed break, the holiday flew by quicker than I would have liked.  But we did get one late unexpected holiday surprise the first week of January from my fantastic sister-in-law.  She was disappointed that Brenna's Christmas present didn't arrive in time for Christmas morning.  When the package finally did arrive, we found it was a gift for the whole family.  She sent a much needed taste of home with Zatarain's, Dale's, Red Lobster biscuit mix, corn bread mix, ranch dressing, and taco seasoning!  All the things that we love, but can't get here.  It definitely added some "feel good" to our dinners!