This year Mandi and I had the honour of cooking Christmas dinner for her family.

We started with something called a “Duck-cat” which wasn’t a cat at all. But it was fresh. It would eventually be the “body” of Christ.

But first it needed a bath. And a full-fisted filking.

Fittingly, the head of the wee Jesus was made of lamb.

There was room in the Inn to lay the body to rest on a bed carrots. I meant to tell the inn-keeper the heat was really cranked up in there.

Despite the heat, we felt baby Jesus needed some swaddling clothes. Linus would have approved. Though he might not have chosen bacon.

Jesus had eye crusties after his nap.

A little gentle prodding with a butter knife took care of that. His halo of sausages needed a little goldening-up.

Away in a manger… nothing but a head.

Haloization… 25% … 50% … 75% … 85% …

HALOIZATION COMPLETE!

He looks so peaceful. No crying he makes. No crying did we make either. We were manger in a manger. So to speak.