[clivehawkins]

It's a big family thing here in Italy.
Christmas Eve is spent at home with the family - it's probably more important than Christmas Day itself. There is a huge meal of meat, fish etc. This is also the time when gifts are exchanged. At midnight many go to church for mass.

The next day nobody feels like eating but lunch is even bigger than the previous evening's dinner. Alka Seltzer must make most of their money in these two days.

Each of these two eating extravaganzas feature a cast of thousands and every year I meet new members of my wife's family. In all these years they still manage to drag out new faces. When will it end??!!

Oh, and bingo is big too. Christmas Day isn't complete unless you're stuck next to that relative whose name you didn't quite catch who is complaining bitterly that the game is rigged and, in any case, the meat was over cooked and the wine was too sweet.

I love it. I wish it could be Christmas every day. Wait a minute, theres a song in there somewhere

And on that note, a merry Christmas to all you guys out there. have a good break and come back refreshed and ready to kick some ESL butt!