Christmas, Stone Style

T'was the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring - hang on a minute! Sorry, wrong story. On the night before Christmas in our house, everyone is stirring. Buzzing around like little bees, here and there, not able to sit still in case something is missed or overloooked.

Little miss was bouncing off the walls this year about Christmas. Her little mind busied itself as thoughts flew this way and that of how will Santa know where to land? how will we mark the spot if we don't have tinsel? where will he leave my presents? what food does Santa like to eat? does he know I have a brother now because I forgot to tell him?

After much deliberation, plans were made and then executed.

This year, little miss and I headed to the backyard to mark a spot for Santa to land. It was decided that we would use the Gnome, given to us by a wonderful friend last Christmas, and surround him in fallen frangipani  flowers.

Family visiting on the days that followed thought Gnome had come to an unseemly end - until of course we explained the story of the sleeping gnome surrounded by flower petals marking the landing zone for Santa's sleigh.

Little miss with her landing spot for Santa

When Task One was ticked off the list, we headed inside.

Hubby and little miss then performed their yearly ritual of putting out food for Santa. Hubby suggested to little miss that Santa would like a beer and cashews. A lime with an accompanying knife was set out beside the Corona, little miss said that Santa would like that because Daddy did - and she was right.

Little miss decided that the reindeer would like an unpeeled carrot because they don't mind eating the skin. And she decided to share her Advent calendar chocolate with Santa so popped that in the bowl alongside the cashews - such a sweet kid.

Little miss with the table of food for Santa and his reindeer

After everything was in its place, it was time for little miss to go to bed. (Our little mr was already in bed, he is a bit little to get excited about Christmas just yet.) Surprisingly, she fell asleep rather quickly - possibly making sure that Santa actually came - because he only comes when kids are asleep.

When the house was quiet, the lights were off and everyone was tucked up in bed, the real enchantment could begin......

As Santa circled the skies above he spotted Gnome in the backyard, skilfully landed his sleigh, quietly opened the back door, tip-toed into the front room, drank the beer with a lime, ate the cashews and chocolate, and gave the carrot to his faithful reindeer.

He then left a present for little miss and one for little mr in front of the fire place and filled their stockings with treasures.

After one more look around, he smiled, retreated to his sleigh and flew on to the next house full of sleeping children who also made the nice list this year.

The sun had barely risen on Christmas Day and we were awoken by our little miss, shouting "Santa has been!!".

She grabbed my hand and dragged me to the place where Santa had left the presents - one for her and one for her little brother. She was so thrilled that Santa had known she had a little brother even though she had forgotten to tell him in her letter.

When our little man awoke from his slumber, aided by the shouts of little miss, the four of us congregated around the Christmas tree to hand out the presents.

Everyone received their presents, neatly stacking them to open them all together - or tear them apart, whichever the method of present unwrapping.

Little miss with her stack of presents

Little mr tearing open his present

Little miss was beside herself that Santa had given her the requested remote control car and little mr a steering wheel toy.

Following the present unwrapping the day proceeded along rather uneventfully. My family arrived, we ate, drank and were merry - and were exhausted by the end of the day falling into bed at 8.30pm to get ready to do it all again the next day with Hubby's family.

Aussie Pav

What is your style for celebrating Christmas?