The epic Christmas dinner

All lit up!

When M heard that I will be celebrating Christmas at AB's parents', he gave me a huge wink, "Ah, you're in for a treat - don't expect to leave the dining table in less than seven hours."

He wasn't kidding. We sat down at 7pm and finished the final course at slightly after 2am. *burp*

They were certainly the hosts with the mostest - We started with aperitifs, followed by three appetisers served separately (oysters, foie gras, then seared scallops). We then made the unanimous (and wise) decision to skip the main course and just had dessert, then cheese and coffee. Did I mention that each course was accompanied by a different wine to complement the food (yes, including digestifs with desserts)?

I finally fully comprehend the meaning of the term "wine and dine".

Oysters and Champagne? Mais oui, merci beaucoup!

While it sounds like a lot of food - it was - true to their French culture, each course was a modest portion and I never felt overwhelmed. If there was one thing I learnt about their dining habits during this trip, it was that the meal is an entire experience and very much about the company as much as the food. Christmas is special to them so you can expect to be wow-ed by the spread. It won't be a buffet spread, but definitely comprising of really, really delicious fare.

Just the digestifs, mostly home-made!

After we all pitched in to help set the table and sat down to commence the meal, AB's mum looked around taking in the setup, and sighed a happy sigh, "I LOVEE a beautiful table." She certainly did, and it's evident not only in every detail of the table but in all corners of their home. What I admired the most was how tastefully she did it though - at no point would you feel like Christmas had exploded in this cosy home - it's all little classy touches at different areas that culminate to conjure a warm Noël atmosphere. It was truly a pleasure to be in the space.

The gorgeous table

Christmas in a jar 💖

And after dinner, the gift exchange took place - it's very heartwarming to see how each gift was chosen with lots of thought towards its use for the recipient. There were no boisterous laughter, or rowdy countdown, but the happy smiles and kisses exchanged filled the home with more Christmas spirit than any party I've attended.

Joyeux Noël, indeed. :)