While everyone goes home during Xmas, I don't. And I love it!

5 years passed since I spent my last Christmas with my family in Sardinia.

Instead I experienced different traditions and unusual celebrations both miserable and curious.

In 2011 I was in London, and celebrated an Italian-Brasilian Xmas.

I did not have many friends there and an Italian girl, who was working with me at that time, invited me to stay with her.

Her flatmate was from Brazil, and organized everything “her way”.

After a nice dinner, there was the “exchanging-presents- moment”.

The host would “announce” the person receiving the present , making a detailed description of him/her, highlighting qualities and values.

I was pretty surprised to receive a little present too, as I was a last-moment guest (a thong which I never wore) but have no memory about my description probably because not enough overwhelming.

The two following years my family came to visit me.

Apart from the irritation of having them around and carrying them like children, nothing is kept on my mind really.

Oh yeah! My mum’s expression when she met for the first time, my “very black” boyfriend during that time: a mix of terror and a smile while forcing herself to be polite. UNFORGETTABLE!

Christmas 2014 was the most curious one. I was working as Au-pair in Denmark and spent my

holidays with my “fake family” (I called them like that, but in a good way. I love them. Really.)

Best thing ever on Xmas dinner? Boiled-caramelised potatoes from Grandma. Don’t ask how they have been made, but it felt just like sex in my mouth.

Another unusual thing, was the so called “Risengrød”, a pudding of rice and milk looking like cat vomit (I am not a big fan of milk, yeah).

Inside this huge bowl of rice, there were many small pieces of almonds, but ONLY ONE whole.

The lucky person finding it in their portion would win a prize, but only if the almond was not chewed!

Very typical is also the “Snaps”, a mega nasty drink (similar to brandy or grappa), traditional on this occasions.

Oh.. I can still hear my fake danish father shouting “Skål” !!!!!!

After dinner at “Farmor” (the grandmother), everyone took a sheet of songs and started walking around the Christmas tree and its mountain of presents (yes, Danes are rich).

It was pretty awkward. The songs were many, and we kept walking around for what seems ages to me (my attempt of singing in Danish did not make it more enjoyable).

The rest was just normal. Maybe just an higher-than-usual amount of presents for the kids forgotten few weeks later.

Christmas 2015 was passed in Poland!

Finally we had a very international dinner with few colleagues from Poland, Peru, Canada, Spain and Portugal.

Everyone made one or more dishes, and shared together.

It was very interesting: turkey, roast chicken, swedish meatballs (no one was swedish but, shit, those meatballs were awesome), borscht (polish beetroot soup), octopus ( I was named “The Queen of Octopus Salad”) and cakes.

Great time.

I also discovered that Porto wine is not my thing, while screaming “ This is shit!”, right in front of the portuguese guest (without realizing of course).

Food, drinks, karaoke and laughs. What more?

They say Christmas should be spent with your family.

I say Christmas should be spent with who makes you smile.

Happy holidays!