Wishing you Joy

It is Christmas Eve here.
I have much to do today beginning with picking up my DIL shortly to go to the local Christmas market. Then it is home to put the finishing touches to everything that needs doing.
Unfortunately that also means cleaning the bathrooms! *sigh*
At this time, I would wish you all the joy of this season.

Christmas in Australia

When we are bombarded with the traditional images of Christmas involving snow, winter clothes and Frosty the Snowman year after year, those of us in Australia do feel a little confused.
Right now as I type this the weather outside is beautiful. The sky is blues, there are a few clouds in the sky and the temperature is predicted to reach 31° celcius today (that’s 88°F). Christmas Day is predicted to reach 32°C with the possibility of an afternoon shower.
When we go to shopping centres to do our Christmas shopping we spend an inordinate amount of time driving around and around in an attempt to find undercover parking. This is important as here in Queensland it is not just the heat you are trying to protect the car from, but the possibility of an afternoon thunderstorm complete with hail.
Driving around looking at Christmas lights is different. Not everyone decorates their homes with lights but some do. We enjoy doing it as it means we get to sit in an airconditioned car for an hour or so, grab some takeaway from a drive through and spend time as a family.
Christmas in this part of the world is uniquely different.

Christmas Traditions

Yesterday I had a conversation with the First Born.
Earlier this year, she and one of my nieces were having a chat at the wedding of another niece and the topic got around to Christmas.
The girls began discussing the family Christmas get togethers at Grandma and Grandad’s home when they were little and how much they missed it now that my parents have moved away. It was then that my First Born had a brainwave “Why don’t we have Christmas at Mum’s place this year”? Fortified by a glass of wine, my niece smiled sweetly at me and said “What a great idea” whilst her eyes dared me to say anything to the contrary.
I agreed as long as the girls worked it all out between themselves. Up until last week nothing had been agreed upon apart from the fact that it was to be at our place. lol

Bad Jokes, Face Time, Tears and a Wardrobe Malfunction

In those few words, you have summed up my Christmas. 🙂

We had a wonderful time with the grandchildren last night and they were a constant source of giggles and joy. They all filed in, said hello and then promptly went straight out the back door toward the pool. Can’t say that I blame them since the weather was stinking yesterday. Whilst we sipped a glass of wine we watched the First Born, the Tween and four of the grandchildren play in the water with their floaties and pool noodles. We smiled and laughed at the appropriate times to the cries of “Watch me do this” or “Look at me doing that”. We giggled as the youngest (who wasn’t in the pool) couldn’t quite get the hang of the water pistol and kept shooting himself in the face before giving up and putting it in his mouth and drinking the contents of the clear plastic gun. We clapped when Miss Five swam a lap of the pool. And we applauded also when Miss Six showed us that she could swim without floaties.

Then out came the bubble wands and the fun in the back yard continued in earnest. After all this fun, we heard Santa coming up the street in his fire engine. Squeals of delight rang out as all children scrambled to get the bags of lollies thrown out to them by Santa’s helpers in the back of the engine. Only the adults noticed that Santa had very smooth skin under the beard and was well padded in her his chest area 😉 Inside for dinner and the children were at the table (before the adults had had an opportunity to gather their thoughts)  and working out the seating arrangements for everyone. The little girls decided to sit at the smaller table and socialised whilst eating their well balanced (!!) meals of cold meats and lollies. (It was Christmas so we weren’t terribly upset). Then the Christmas crackers came out. With the cracker pulling (every single one from the box found was pulled by the young ones) came the bad jokes. All of which were read out by Miss Six. Most of the jokes were groan worthy but Miss Six found them hilariously funny. Miss Almost Five just kept grinning her mischievous pixie grin. Master Three decided that playing games and chasing the cat was more fun than eating and Mister almost Two toddled off to join him. The night heard squeals of delight and lots of thank yous and “Just what I’ve always wanted”. (Love you Lils) around the Christmas Tree afterwards. And then they changed into their pj’s to listen to the Tween read an Aussie Night Before Christmas whilst holding their battery candles. (Except for Master Three who had two and put them against his eyes and made scary monster noises). *sigh* After kisses and hugs, they all went home and peace descended upon our home once more.

I woke at my usual time this morning (just before 5am), remembered it was Christmas Day and went back to sleep. I got up just before 8 to a silent house and went around opening up to let in the morning air (that was already heating up). I found the Tween in the lounge room unpacking her santa sack. She decided to try some of her new hairclips on the Diva and our giggles bought out the Garden Gnome. The phone rang. It was the middle child. We decided we would Face Time and set a time for a couple of minutes from now. Since I was in my nightie and just out of bed, I raced to my walk in robe to find something to wear and brush my hair. Finding nothing I quickly ironed a loose cotton dress, threw it on, made a cup of tea and then spent time with my children on Face Time. We shared jokes, showed him our Christmas tree, the Tween showed off what was in her santa sack, checked out my DIL’s sewing skills (love the colour of the dress she made) and enjoyed time with each other on Christmas Morning before signing off. Then we handed out the presents under the tree. The Tween was over the moon at her gifts. The Garden Gnome loved his framed photo of our HZ Holden and remote controlled speed boat (for the pool). And I cried. I cried because I was given the most gorgeous gifts that I knew so much thought had gone into (the Tween gave me some wooden words about peace and harmony. I also received a beautiful little charm that is a book from the GG. He wanted to get a book charm because of my love for books and writing. But that wasn’t when the tears started. The tears began when the gift giving was over and the Tween left the room and returned with a bird cage holding a canary for me. I’ve wanted a canary for a long, long time. The Garden Gnome had even installed a hook into the roof of the rumpus room/bar to hang the cage from guessing that I wouldn’t even notice it with everything else going on. (He was right). The Diva was miffed because she thought the canary was a gift for her and spent the next hour or so working out ways to stalk the cage and attempt to catch ‘her’ gift before giving up and snoozing. No doubt gathering her strength and thoughts for another attempt later on. The tears continued when I read the Christmas card from the man I love. But they were all tears of joy.

The day continued in a relaxing way. The Garden Gnome’s family joined us for a late lunch. The conversation was good and we watched the George & Mildred movie on TV and laughed at the old British humour before having dessert. (Yes, the fruitcake was a little dry and the fact I put in Cream of Tartar instead of Baking Soda doesn’t appear to have affected its taste at all).

It was as they were leaving and we were taking our goodbyes that I realised…… my dress had been inside out all day!!!!!

Have a blessed day 🙂

ps: I think I finally achieved my Zen Christmas! 🙂

Merry Christmas

Since I started this blog in August, I have enjoyed every minute of the past months. I have found wonderful internet friends and I have further pursued my passion for writing.

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas Day. I hope you spend the day with those you love whether quietly or in a big, noisy group. I hope that for those of you who still believe in Santa, your wishes come true and the presents received are exactly what you wished for. Sending a huge cyber hug to you all 🙂

Have a blessed day 🙂

A tradition I forgot

…. sorry Mum.

My mother reminded me of the tradition we have in the family of having ornaments for each person. Originally this began as a way to stop my brother and I from touching everything on the tree apart from the one ornament that was ours. These days, it is a way to have everyone (including those no longer with us) together at Christmas. So here is a montage of our decorations (minus the one for the GG because it was too blurred). Sorry darling. 🙂

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Some of the ornaments for the grandchildren aren’t on the tree yet because we haven’t seen them yet. The rule is that everyone puts their own ornament on. 🙂

Christmas Eve

It is Christmas Eve in my part of the world. As you read this post, I will be surrounded by grandchildren and loved ones. We are going to blow bubbles and swim in the pool before dinner. The little ones are excited about coming to Ma & Pa’s for dinner. Apparently the First Born has threatened to cancel Christmas but they begged to be able to still come here for dinner. 🙂

There will be lots of noise going on about now as they run around and jump on the trampoline. Then we will eat. There will be tantrums because they won’t want to eat as they are in a hurry to see what is under the tree. Santa will arrive in his fire engine and they will race outside to get the lollies he will be handing out and life will be sweet for them once more.

Have a blessed Christmas all 🙂

Christmas Lights

I finally (after talking about it for the past week or so) got my tripod out so I could photograph the lights on our home. I felt like a bit of a twit outside the house and on the street with my camera on the tripod and having to get off the road for cars cruising past to see the lights. I’ve noticed that some of the photos are slightly skewed – sorry. Uneven ground 😉

Then I moved inside and took some photos of my lights inside.

The grandchildren are going to love it!!!