Weekend in Durham Day #1

As usual, we went up to Durham the weekend before Christmas. I swear it's only about six weeks since I wrote this post for 2024, but nope, the year has passed incredibly quickly and here I am posting about Christmas 2025. I've got quite a lot of posts to catch up on and I'm hoping to do that soon, but I've also been working a lot more so I'm behind. 2026 has already started at a lick but I'll get there!

We set off on Saturday morning, but not early as we were tired and wanted to take it steady. We set off just before 11 I think. The travel was fine, we stopped to pick up coffee, and we got to Lee's mam's house at about 12.45. A lot of people were already there so we just joined in the party! Our friends Paul and Lianne are always invited too, so they came not long after we had arrived. Lee's mam had made vegetable curry and rice and a bunch of other things. What I ate was delicious! 

There were 24 of us in total I think, it was mad. A lot of us ended up upstairs where Lee's youngest brother has a dartboard and karaoke set up and I was talking to Lianne, my sister in law Libby, and Daniel's new girlfriend Macy. We hadn't met her before so that was nice. 

A couple of years ago we started doing Secret Santa for all the adults in the family to simplify things and it works really well, so we swapped presents for that. Lee and I had asked for a new toaster and kettle in a lovely teal blue colour, so we were pleased to get those. I also got a bottle of champagne and a book - Libby was my Santa and so she had chosen well for those! I'm not sure what else Lee got. Lee's mam had also done stockings for all of us which was cute, they had some nice things in! 

Lee's stepdad was making cocktails, I don't even know what they had in them but I kept drinking them all the same. They were nice! I took a million photos with everyone like I do, all my nieces and nephews just put up with me now. I also took a picture of Bev with all her kids. It was a good day! 

We always stay at Lee's dad's over in Chester-le-Street so we headed over there quite late and chatted to them for a bit before bed. 

Sparkly tights and one of my pairs of Dr Marten Chelsea boots which are basically the only things I wear in the winter

Listening to some music on the way up

Buffet spread

And a close up of some of the buns that Gemma had made I think

When I asked Gemma for a photo she wanted to do this Myspace angle...

...but here's the photo I would have taken. Her jumper lit up, it was fun 

Me and Lee's sister Kim and Libby, Andrew's wife. Yes it's a big family! 

Me and one of my nieces, Caitlin

Lee and his brother Chris, they're very similar looking

Another of my nieces, Tillie. I don't always get a photo with her - which is fine, it's totally up to her! - but this year I did. I loved her jumper!

Lianne, Paul's wife. I'm sure she's never sure how she ended up with all of us when she married him, but she did!

Poor Daniel on his own dartboard!

My stocking, Bev had them all hung up her stairs which was cute

Me and Paul

A vodka sunrise I think, no idea but it tasted nice

And something blue. I don't know, but it was definitely blue

Sat around chatting 

And again

My third niece Leah

One of my nephews Bradley, I didn't get the other one but he was there

Here's Bev with all her kids 

And finally one with Lee's stepdad in too!