Christmas festivities

 I love this time of the year.  Not quite as mad as Ireland (side story: where "silly season" started on November 17th, as designated by my best friend in work because that is the date that brokers started bringing us out for Christmas parties - this was during the Celtic Tiger years when there were so many brokers and so many parties that it all had to start that early in order to get them all in before Christmas), but probably more straight forward "wholesome" than Ireland.  More festive gatherings versus mad drinking parties I guess.  That was the Celtic Tiger for you I guess.... Insert "eek emoji" here.

Soooooo.  Here is some "wholesome" for ya! Ok, ok, with a few little sneaky spiked drinkies snuck in there too :)

Patrick came up with great idea of Christmas Lobster rolls.  The absolutely best place on the island, like literally the best, do not go anywhere else, is DJ's crab shack.  

Maine Lobster with a local Islamorada beer

Afterwards we headed to meet our friends in the Truman park car lot where we had some festive drinks, eggnog and the like. Yes that is bucket of fireball.  In the cup is hot chocolate with double chocolate vodka in it.

And then! Then we boarded the conch train for a tour of the island and all the houses lit up for the holiday.  Christmas songs blaring and lots of holiday cheer.  It was a wonderful evening!

Chocolate log cabin

My sisters and I are having a Christmas competition to see who can make the best "confectionary house"

Here are the instructions of how I made my chocolate log cabin!

I decided I wouldn't go all the way and make my own sponge.  I cheated and bought some madeira cakes.

All the ingredients cost approx €15.

Cut and shaped my house

Further carved the edges to make it bond a little bit better.

I have no photo but essentially I covered it in chocolate icing/frosting.

I covered the house in chocolate fingers - for the windows and doors I used white chocolate and dark chocolate.  Plus made a chimney out of dark chocolate.

I fancied the tree up with a little candy cane fencing on either side. Plus then I cheated by putting a silver decoration from my tree of Santa and Rudolf on the roof :-)

This is my sister Kate's entry.  Wow!

And Lydias.  Wow!

I think we know who will be in third place :-(