Christmas

I was fortunate enough to head away this Christmas (another blog to follow). It meant I have become a bit slack on the blogging front. Here is my Christmas edition! (With pics).



The silly season is almost upon us. There is so much that I love about Christmas. I like to get as much done as I can before December or else my blood pressure worsens and I go into a little meltdown. This year I think I am actually ready for the onslaught.

A thousand rum balls have been made and are waiting to be consumed. Nectarines, plums and cherries are about to be digested at rates fast enough to guarantee we all stay regular until well after New Years. I am still happily anticipating eating enough M and Ms, chocolate, mango smoothie, pavlova, trifle, ham and salad to last me a lifetime. And I have two big family functions coming up faster than I can say 'loosen that button please!'

Our Christmas Tree is up and decorated – I did it earlier last month and am thankful I did because my Christmas mojo is slowly fading. The tree will probably stay up until school goes back. We have adorned our house, and it will stay decorated. Indefinitely. Several years ago, my mother bought us a fake Christmas tree after I whinged and moaned about the ongoing clean up that a real tree necessitated. This is why I feel justified in keeping it up for about three months of the year. The clean-up is always minimal. Eventually I will come to look at it as a giant pot plant; only without the pot, or water, or soil.

 

We also decorate our mailbox...

We try to alternate Christmas between our families, and this year we are having Christmas away.  This means my entire family will all squeeze into a house, stock up the cold room with drinks, fruit and meat, (in that order), and sit back by the pool and beach to relax. The day will begin at 4:30am; thank you children.

 As far as tradition goes in our family, it's always about food. I ALWAYs glaze a ham. We ALWAYS make a potato salad. We ALWAYS make a pavlova and trifle. We ALWAYS eat about 4kgs of prawns. And we wash this all down with a cool room full of alcohol.

 

We always leave Santa a selection of goodies.

 

Thankfully the children are still buying into the man in red. This is no mean feat, given how many parcels have arrived in the post in the lead up to the big event. Online shopping can be both a blessing and a curse.

What I love most about Christmas is being with people you love. It's family that makes Christmas, 'CHRISTMAS'. It's the love, the laughter and the happiness that I love; that, and the 'Christmas play' the kids put on every year. Yes, Mr 6 is in a dress. Yes, Miss 9 bossed everyone around and told them what to do and say. Yes, Miss 7 is Lady Gaga. And not because Miss 9 told her to be.

I love Christmas. And I am actually, definitely, possibly, maybe ready for it this year!

 And now it's all said and done for another year. And I'll start the online shopping frenzy right after New Years. Only this year I'll have to hide my presents in better places. We had a few close calls this year...