For many, Christmas is a time of tradition and family. For one Canadian expat in London, the festive season of 2022 became an unforgettable tale of peculiar companionship, questionable cuisine, and one of cinema's most bizarre offerings.
A North London Flat and an Unconventional Feast
In 2022, the writer was living in a flat in north London situated directly above a chicken shop, sharing the space with two flatmates and an unwelcome infestation of cockroaches. With one flatmate away and having visited family in Canada the previous month, Christmas Day was spent solely with her Lithuanian flatmate who was due to return home in January.
Determined to mark the occasion, they prepared a makeshift festive lunch. A small roast chicken was served with Canadian-style stuffing, described as fluffier than its UK counterpart, alongside pasta. An ambitious attempt at brussels sprouts cooked with bacon, maple syrup, parmesan, and a mayonnaise drizzle was less successful. The pair toasted the day with prosecco won in a competition, despite neither particularly liking it, because it simply felt like the Christmas thing to do.
The 'Tiptoes' Screening: Guilt and Bafflement
With no living room, the duo set up a projector in the bedroom, perching on desk chairs with their plates balanced on their laps. Their chosen film was the notorious 2003 movie 'Tiptoes', starring Gary Oldman and Matthew McConaughey, which the writer and her best friend back in Canada had long discussed but never seen.
The film's premise involves McConaughey's character hiding his family, all of whom have dwarfism, from his pregnant girlfriend, played by Kate Beckinsale. Oldman portrays McConaughey's twin brother who has dwarfism, a role performed largely by the actor walking on his knees. The writer noted the jarring inappropriateness of the casting, especially given the film's 2003 release date, and the overall comically poor writing and deranged dialogue of the released cut.
A Shared Obsession and Festive Rationale
The viewing was tinged with guilt, as watching the film was a long-held pact with her best friend. Upon later confession, her friend was furious. However, the writer reasoned that a traditional Christmas film might have heightened sadness at being away from family. Instead, a weird film, eaten with weird food, on a weird Christmas Day felt perfectly fitting. The experience, while surreal, forged a unique festive memory far from the conventional holiday script.
