Seasons Greetings

Whoever you are
Wherever you live
Whatever you Believe

 
Season's Greetings

May you find Peace and Joy

Aussie Christmas Fare

Christmas may come 'But Once a Year' but the Celebrations last for as long as you have Family that you have to fit in with. This year, Ours was VERY early!

I sent out a Message to everyone for Requests - 

Didn't have to be Christmassy Just whatever they were craving!

DH - Fruit Platter 

(I am ALL for Outsourcing where possible - Made by our Local Cafe and now features on their Instagram)

DS#1 - Can we have Trifle? 

This one I made a bit different to the traditional, with Tart Cranberry Juice Jelly and Blueberries and I also found Pink Savoiardi (Lady Finger) Biscuits! 

And of course the thing that makes Trifle - Trifle.  No Port this year. 

Tasmanian Cherry Chocolate Whiskey soaked the biscuits.

DD Made an Awesome Pavlova Wreath (didn't last long enough to photograph)

But wanted Greek Yoghurt instead of Cream - Gives a nice tang over all the Sugar! 

Not easy especially with Lactose Free Yoghurt - so (next day) I hung the Yoghurt in a Muslin and drained off the Whey turning a Runny mess into Spoon-able Lactose Free Labneh.

Something to remeber for next time.

Well, after all, There is still Christmas Day!

Christmas Day 1974

 "Santa never made it into Darwin
Disaster struck at dawn on Christmas Day
Santa never made it into Darwin
A Big wind came and blew the town away"

* * *

In the early hours of Christmas Day 1974 Tropical Cyclone Tracy swept through Darwin.

She was small and destructive. 

With winds that exceeded 217 km per hour before the anemometer at Darwin Airport was destroyed.

This girder is part of the Tracy Exhibit in Darwin Museum.

* "Cyclone Tracy had a profound impact on the Darwin community with over 70 per cent of Darwin’s homes destroyed or suffering severe damage, all public services including communications, power, water and  sewerage were severed, 

41,000 people left homeless, 35,362 people (of the 47,000 total population of Darwin) were evacuated and tragically 66 lives were lost."

50 years on - She remains one of the most destructive Natural disasters in Australia's History.

Santa Never Made it into Darwin, written by music duo Bill and Boyd.

*Darwin.nt.gov.au/ Cyclone Tracy 50th anniversary

What Now?

What are you doing for Christmas?

Nothing Special - We've already done Family Christmas

Which leaves us plenty of time to enjoy the Christmas Markets

Dec. 6.  Food & Wine Christmas Market -MCEC (Jeff's Shed)

Dec 14.  Indoor Pop up Market - Pentridge Coburg

Dec. 15  Handmade Design Market - Coburg Town Hall

Dec. 22  Pentridge Makers Market - Outdoor Pentridge Coburg

Didn't buy much but it was a good outing and fun chatting to the stallholders.

Christmas came Early

Christmas when we were kids was easy -

You woke up unwrapped Presents, 

Had a very big Lunch

Went to Grandmas via Uncle's Place

and were back home in time for Dinner.

(photo typical of Aussie Christmas c 1965)

Then you got Married. 

In-laws did Boxing Day

You wanted Christmas Day

Your Family wanted....

Then your Kids got Married and ....

Its all very complicated!

So THIS year we decided to Have Christmas Early - Very Early.  

No one else wanted December 8th !

The Table was set 

and the Meal Prepared - 

Allowing for 6 different dietary requirements

and 4 Toddlers

The Christmas Biscuits were NOT deemed too Pretty to eat.

And as far as Little Miss P was concerned 

"If I eat it with my cutlery then it IS my Main Course"

After Lunch -

Gifts were exchanged

And the Children begged to be allowed to "Go to the Park".

Before all clearing off and leaving Us to the Washing Up...

And That is the Way it Should be.

Merry Christmas Everyone !

Getting ready for ....

I do not enjoy the Stress and Hype leading up to Christmas and

Some days are that bad you just have to Drown a Reindeer 

in Your Coffee!

DH Birthday✔

Meltdown ✔

Christmas 

Good to get some things off the list early. 

Christmas 2023

 Christmas comes but Once a Year...

And for us it is accompanied with mainly Handmade Greeting Cards

(And in case you are wondering the Pink one is from "The Tinsel Monster")

It also is NEVER Organised.

Which is why it was spread over several days and necessitated a rather LONG 'Phone call' to a Missing Cousin

An ample amount of paper was spread all over the room as many gifts from Great Aunts and Uncles unknown were unwrapped.

(How they managed to buy "Just the right Gift" is a mystery to me!)

It was repeated until ALL the Gifts had been exchanged!

Thank Goodness

Christmas comes but once a year...

Merry Christmas Everyone!

A Christmas Eve to Remember

The Plan was:

7:30 Overland Train from Adelaide arriving Melbourne 6:50 pm after a relaxing day watching the Scenery pass by. 

 

After which we would take the Local Tram and walk home from the Terminus.

You can probably Guess by now that it's not how the day unfolded.

"Sorry Folks, we have been delayed leaving the Terminal - But Good News is we will be making up time over the Day."

Everything was fine.  

The Train travelled on through the South Australian Countryside and across the Murray River

Once we were in Victoria we started noticing that they had had "A bit of Rain".  

What we didn't know was - 

We were travelling behind a Massive Storm 

Our First unscheduled Stop was ... 

"We have been advised there is a Problem with the Signals ahead we have to wait for a Technician to arrive to fix them before proceeding - He will be an Hour....."

Which turned into TWO hours.

Finally on our way again when, an hour later ....

"Sorry Folks - We have been advised that a Lightening Strike has taken out the Signals ahead - 

It's going to be another 2 Hours..."

Fortunately, We had tickets in Premium Economy and we were comfortable.  

And everyone was well looked after. 

Some of us got a bit bored and went for a walk - 

Finding people to Chat to, 

and a Santa to have a Selfie with.

We finally pulled in to Southern Cross station at 11:01 pm  

It was Christmas Eve.

Everyone was in Good Spirits

We had missed the Storm 

and were kept Safe

Arriving Home (By Taxi) 

just before Midnight.

Merry Christmas to all

(Especially the Staff at 

Journey Beyond)

And To All

A Good Night.

A Belated Christmas

We had always planned to "Do Christmas" after the 26th and before New Year.  

This Year we had to wait for DH and I to be out of Covid Iso and GD#1 to be over the latest thing she brought home from Childcare.

To Us, We remember "The Reason for the Season" on Christmas Day and it doesn't matter What day we Get together as a Family.

To Share a Meal and finally exchange Our Gifts.

Everyone had a Wonderful time.

Even the Littlest One

Who looks like she can't wait for Next Year!

2022 - Christmas

Christmas has been Cancelled.

When my allergy symptoms didn't clear up once we got home.....

  

THIS was NOT what I wanted to see 2 days before Christmas. 

(DH had a matching one a few days later.)

We signed up for Home delivery 

Put a Note in the Window letting everyone know why we couldn't answer the door 

and Quarantined until New Year. 

Christmas Time Again

 Sending Happy Aussie Christmas Greetings to All.

Isaiah 9:6

'tis the Season

Christmas this year has been different for many.

For us - we are fortunate to not be separated from our Immediate Family and this year marked many Firsts as we Celebrated the Birth of Our Lord.

First as Grandparents - to watch Our Children now enjoy their First Christmas as Parents

First time to host Christmas 

and "Play Santa" in his new Home.

and for us - 

Our First Christmas as 

"Empty Nesters"

Just us and the Cat

(who we suspect may have something to do with the Tree ending up on the floor....)

This Christmas will certainly be one to Remember!

"Merry Christmas Everyone".

Press 'Reset' and do it all again. . .

The thing with Christmas is you just can't be everywhere for everyone at the same time - so for many of us we have to juggle catching up with the Rellies over multiple meals or in our case Days.

For Us, Yesterday was "Just those who live at Our Place plus my Mother"...
And a new tradition, started a few years ago on an exceptionally Hot Christmas Day - I do High Tea instead of the Traditional "Too much food for one meal" affair.

Today, my DH's Family get together in an informal style where Good Food, Conversation, Catching up and Backyard Cricket hum along seamlessly while we await the appointed TREE TIME.

For the Little ones, this is a wonderful time where they get to be "Santa's Helpers" delivering gifts to Uncles, Aunts, Cousins etc etc they haven't seen for a whole year.




Three Generations all together, and this year - It was easier to count who was NOT there!
Nephews & Nieces, now adults bring their partners, new families are created..
Just how long this can continue - Who Knows? 

Tomorrow, we "Press Reset" - and do it all again 

for "First Christmas" at DS#1's new Home!

Christmas 2019

Seasons Greetings to all!

For Unto Us a Child is Born

Unto Us a Son is Given

and His Name shall be Called

Wonderful

Counsellor

The Mighty God

The Everlasting Father

The Prince of Peace

Seasons Greetings To All

Today started like most Days

Get up - Have a Cuppa Tea

Discuss what we want to do for the day

And then let the Day unfold on it's Own.

A Quick trip to the Cemetery to leave flowers for Loved ones that are no longer with us.  

Followed by a random decision to stop for Coffee - Just because the Coffee Shop was open on Christmas Morning. 

Read the newspaper (as you do) and came across a Thought Provoking Letter which was as challenging as any Sermon I could have sat through on this Day.

From there it was back home to Gifts under the Christmas Tree.

Lunch - which for the Second Year in a row, was High Tea instead of the Traditional Northern Hemisphere Fare.  

Much Better for a Hot Day.

Followed by the traditional "Everybody (except Mum) relaxes and snoozes off the meal" time. 

But then SOMEONE decided that 

They would like to go into the City (after Dinner when it is dark) so they can have a Selfie in front of the Christmas Tree.

"It's Not just ANY Christmas Tree.

It is Big and made out of Snowflakes!"

And we can make use of "Free transport Day" .

So Who am I to argue with such Logic?

And that is how I found myself at the end of Christmas Day on the Steps of St. Pauls Cathedral taking Photos of Flinders Street Rail Station all decked out in Christmas lights.

Just as well we "Let the Day unfold on It's Own"

Christmas comes but once a Year . . .

Thank Goodness!

Trying to fit in seeing everyone - 

Christmas for us starts the Week before.

Full 'Formal' Christmas Dinner at my DB's place.

And introducing the concept of an Aussie Christmas with Bonbons and Christmas Jokes to DS#2s USA-GF

Oh what Fun!

Christmas Eve meant last minute shopping, wrapping, Planning and Preparing for the next Day.

Lots of Side-tracks. 

  

Watching the Computer - 

Not for Santa's Journey 

from the North Pole.

But another Special Flight -

Christmas Day - 

Always time for Family and Friends.

This Year - Family not here ...

And an empty Chair that will never again 

be filled.

But life goes on and NEW Traditions need to be forged - 

So on a Day when the outside temperatures were over 30℃

It was bring out the Good China for a Christmas HIGH TEA.

Beautiful Christmas Flavours
in Sandwiches and Individual Pots of Trifle
and Pavlova.

Mince Pies and Special Brewed Tea.

All made for a wonderful alternative to the usual Big Lunch.

And afterwards there was very little washing up.

The Special Flight was watched intently...
Even Artemis was interested to keep an eye on it's progress!

AT LAST it was time to head off to the Airport.
We arrived just as they Landed.

Can you Guess -
I am just a "Little Bit" excited?

It has been a VERY long Year
and one that has not all been Good.

(Dream Jobs sometimes turn out to be Nightmares.)

But finally our Beautiful DD is now back Home!

Boxing Day:

The Day AFTER Christmas.

Traditionally for Us - time to catch up with my DH's side of the Family.

Not This Year.

I may have been over tired and They were very Jet-lagged.

But in a flurry of Gift Paper and Stories -
I had MY family all together in the One Place at the One Time.

Happy Christmas Indeed!

* * * * *

The Lighthouse on my Sidebar

When ever any of my Family are travelling 

I place a 'Light in the Window' on my Blog.

A reminder there are Loved ones waiting at Home.

This image of the Lighthouse at Corny Point SA has been on my sidebar for the year that our DD has been overseas.

She is now safely home.
Time to Take the "Candle from the Window".