Christmas was Christmas without the Christ in it. Although I thoroughly enjoyed being with my family, I missed the whole surreal, nostalgic feeling that usually surrounds this holiday. Maybe this lack of “Xmas-feeling” on my part was due to Zürich’s controversial Christmas lighting?
Anyway, the prize for my most interesting present goes to my aunt. She gave both my brother and me a goat (live, not stuffed). Now, contrary to expectation she is neither a farmer nor a shepherdess. She sponsored the goats from Oxfam. Oxfam is an international organisation dedicated to the alleviation of hunger, poverty and suffering in this world. Their ways to raise money can take on rather ingenious forms, so this is how both my brother and I came to be proud owners of goats.
New Year had an equally bizarre touch to it. We invited round some friends and dished up large amounts of fondue chinoise (everyone dunks meat into vegetable stock), sushi, red wine, golden tequila and absinth; a very interesting combination (unfortunately slightly toxic for the overenthusiastic).