"Always Remember the Magic"

Each Christmas my Dad reminds us to "always remember the magic". In previous years this has meant scanning through the Radio Times to circle the best films, eating home made mince pies, putting stockings at the end of the bed, watching the Polar Express, Mum always forgetting to serve the carrots on Christmas Day and my grandmother eating the potpourri again, thinking it's a snack.

This year we flew an hour south to San Diego to spend Christmas week by the pool. If you are missing out on celebrating with your family then at the very least it should say 25 degrees on the thermometer.

Our daily view -  we stayed at the Park Hyatt Avaria Resort

Sunset over the Pacific

Armed with recommendations for Legoland, Seaworld, San Diego Zoo, the Old Town and Historic Park, we spent every day at the hotel resort. Having returned from two weeks working in Brasil, Dan was keen to relax with us. The warm weather, the hotel facilities and being reunited was magical enough.

The hotel lobby was filled with decorated trees, including an impressive 10 ft tall Ginger Bread Village designed by the chef and his team. It contained 22 pounds of gingerbread dough and 400 pounds of icing sugar. Not even Nigella Lawson has seen such a huge amount of white powder in one place. 

The model steam train that ran around the edge captivated our son - as you can see, far right.

"He's Been!" We took Christmas lights, Christmas cards and home made decorations with us to keep the magic alive. Thanks to all who posted us a card - they are always so lovely to receive!

"Cheers'

Slightly alarmingly, the hotel seemed focused on celebrating Christmas at dinner time. It took us half an hour to find someone (via room service) to serve champagne at 11am. Never have we waited so long for alcohol on Christmas Day! Likewise, the options for Christmas lunch were limited. So instead we opted to be shuttled by the hotel concierge bus service to the local golf club for a 'brunch' meal.

The view for Christmas 'brunch'

Christmas lunch. Magic.

Having boarded the shuttle bus to the golf club I was spellbound when another couple climbed aboard with Welsh accents. They were from Tairgwaith in the Swansea valleys, traveling on business. It was completely magical to be able to toast Nadoleg Llawen with a fellow Welshman.

Six glasses of bubbles later, we stumbled out of the restaurant having joyfully discovered that the waiter had failed to include the cost of our drinks onto our bill. Whilst I giggled my way out, tipping the couple from Wales off about the forgetful barman, Dan confessed the mistake to the waiter, only to learn that the Welsh couple had very kindly bought our drinks!

We did venture out of the resort for dinner earlier in the week  having found 'Cardiff' on a map nearby our hotel. Well, it would have been rude not to have visited.

The taxi driver informed us that the Californian town was named after 'some place in England'....grrrrr......Despite the breezy wind I ventured down to the beach to have a photo taken, humming our national anthem whilst saying cheese

Other Christmas magic:

Annie's teacher gives the children an option for their 'holiday' cards - Annie decided to copy exactly what was on the board and wish us a (1) Merry Christmas and (2) Happy Hanukkah. I'm glad to see Sunday School is making an impact.

Experiencing the shock and awe of Eucalyptus Ave in San Carlos where neighbors celebrate ('compete') with each other to design extraordinary house and garden light designs. The particular home pictured uses 750,000 lights, all solar powered.

I volunteered to talk to Annie's class about British Christmas customs, including crackers, which most of the children had never heard of.  I gave each child a cracker to take home with them for Christmas Day. One boy noted that since his Jewish family doesnt celebrate Christmas he could pull his earlier. It seems the class is full of Jewish children because suddenly we were overwhelmed with crackers popping and children crying at their ripped hats and lost novelty toys. Im not sure I will be invited back again.

"It was only when Dan starting looking lovingly and longingly at the 'star' (aka England rugby shirt) on its top that Louise realised she could have found a better position for the Christmas tree."

And finally, one of our family traditions is that each year someone reads 'Twas the night before Christmas'  on Christmas Eve. This year via Skype Dan's Mum read it to us. My parents gave me a copy of the book in 2002, which was the year I met Dan and the last Christmas we enjoyed with all Welsh grandparents with us. Happy days, good memories, lots of magic.

Best wishes for a healthy, joyful 2014.