Hope You're Partying Tomorrow...

There's something about Christmas and the New Year that really makes one sit holding one's cup of tea trying to move through the morning paper and just not being able to. Memories of the past year, of life in general, of parties and of fun flit through your mind and you realize how fully you've lived your life (as full as you want to...not comparing it to anyone's standards). This time of the year, especially. Diwali and other holidays are not times for introspection - the fireworks startle you for one - but come Christmas and you're sitting in your easy chair hovering between the dimensions of sleep and memories.

One whole page in the paper had a list of which major hotels are holding parties for NYE. As I contemplated on the list and the fact that millions of people will be on this tiny island partying till the wee hours, I couldnt help smiling at the really memorable parties I'd been to (in any order):

1. A birthday party which I thought was a Christmas party until I saw that the pudding was pink and not brown. I was really young at the time and my sister had a fever so that was the party I went to on my own. I dont remember much about it except that I stared and stared at the pink pudding hoping they would give me some soon. My love of puddings was born right there.

2. The party where I had my first vodka! And said some things I was reminded of the next day by one of the VPs. I hadnt much memory of what I did at that time. And how old was I when I had my first vodka + Sprite? 23!

3. I went to a disco for the first time when I was in my mid-20s. And I felt old! Every person between 13 and 19 was there and I felt like an auntie. Despite my cool claw pendant and beret. And really tall platforms! The only cool thing about this was we danced for 2 hours nonstop and then went to the beach where we had a meal under the stars.

4. A Las Vegas theme party where I wore a Chinese silk top I'd bought from Hong Kong. I remember that the bartenders juggled flaming bottles and one of them moved through the dancers tipping a bottle of tequila into people's mouths!

5. I love home parties. My first one (without adult supervision) and a few close friends involved 'The Sixth Sense', a Swiss chocolate cake (my favourite), Chinese food and Pictionary. We stayed up till 5 am just playing Pictionary. We slept only because we had to (good little girls).

6. My first party after marriage (without the in-laws at home) had loads of pizza, a crappy movie, lots of beer (for him) and vodka screwdrives (for her).

My father had had this idea of a party for four - it would be just the four of us. One would get the appetizers, one would make the drinks, one would order food and another would play the music or something and we'd sit back and enjoy a party without worrying about anyone other than ourselves. This is something I like to continue with my husband and we often don't wait to be invited to parties. We have our own little programme planned out - which food to get or make, which movies to watch etc. Which reminds me, we havent had one for a really long time.

So, how do you like to party? How are you partying this NYE?

Happy Holidays!

My hubby took a whole week off starting this Monday. Am very excited coz we've planned a lot of fun outings. Like...eating roast duck rolled with a cucumber slice in rice pancakes at Mainland China, having an Italian meal at Don Giovanni, etc. etc. Sampling some wines we've never tried before. Making some grilled chicken in our microwave. Plans aplenty but hope we see them through. Hubby's recovering from a nasty cough and I hope with all my heart that I don't catch it.

I love Christmas mainly because we get to visit an old Goan bakery and get plum cakes that follow a traditional recipe. Also, rum cakes with a little pink sticker on it. Pink probably symbolising the rosy flush you get from too much rum. :) Only the cherries and peel are soaked in it, only a few really douse the cake with it. But, I was thankful that I got to eat it! And from an old bakery, not those that care more about following trends rather than sticking to what people love to come back to every year.

I am still in the learning stage when it comes to baking cakes (or baking anything actually) and love to bring home a cake mix (Betty Crocker or Pillsbury). Even more than that, I love going into an old-fashioned bakery that follows both standard and trendy menus and has everything for everyone. Of course, there are queues around Christmas and New Year but then that's when you send along your husband to stand in them for as long as it takes to get one rich plum cake. And an even richer rum plum cake.

That's what I love to come back to every year.