Christmas in a Castle

For Christmas this year, Jason and I weren't able to make it home to be with our families, which made for a very strange Christmas indeed - the first in my life I haven't spent at home. In addition to my parents and brother, I missed seeing all my extended family, many of whom were staying with my parents this year, and the last year we all piled into one house was one of my favourite Christmases ever, so it wasn't easy being the only one absent. My birthday is also on Christmas, and while a lot of people complain about Christmas birthdays - or ask me if I hate mine - I love it. I've always been anti-social so I enjoy the fact that Christmas birthdays mean I don't need / can't have a party. :P But seriously, I think I get more and more excited about it every year. The past few, I've woken up before 6am because I'm too excited to sleep, and thankfully, my parents are morning people too, so we all get up and wait for my brother. ;)

This year, though, Jason and I went back to Wales to spend Christmas at Ruthin Castle. The castle and grounds are beautiful, as were the Christmas decorations, and the meals were large and extravagant, especially the medieval banquet, which was everything a nerd and food-lover could ask for. Mostly, it was strange, because it didn't feel at all like Christmas, despite the decorations and "traditional" holiday food (traditional for me is the chicken with mushrooms and white wine sauce that my mom makes every year for my birthday!). That being said, it was probably the second-best way to spend Christmas that I could imagine. ^.^

Silhouette of trees outside our window when we [finally] arrived after numerous airport delays

Exploring the castle grounds the day after Christmas

Beautifully carved table

Aahh, peacock! What?! These huge guys were roaming around the castle grounds. You wouldn't think they'd be terrifying, but if you've learned anything about me from reading this blog you'll know I'm afraid of very nearly everything, gigantic birds included. 

Like, seriously, I barely made it down the stairs past this one. ^.^

We also spotted a pretty orange tabby who looked like he was posing for my camera but was in fact stalking squirrels. :)

Nantclwyd y Dre, Wales's oldest timbered townhouse. Also, the Welsh language makes no sense.

Little toy knights inside the timbered house museum, which was closed, so we went around and peeked in all the windows. >.>

Wandering around Ruthin village and spotted this interesting building

Once more wandering around the castle grounds

More spiral staircases, ahh! Jason went down with a flashlight but this is as far as I got. There was nothing but a locked door at the bottom...

Omg, the peacocks are coming! Pretty sure Jason is laughing at me.

This little one was SUPER glad when we got home. :D