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?

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree

Have I mentioned that I love Christmas? Oh, I have. Several times, you say. Sorry bout that! I just can't help myself. I LOVE CHRISTMAS!

I love all things about Christmas, including the tree.

When I lived at home with my parents, we always had a Christmas tree. Each year I would lovingly put it up and decorate it and then mum would begrudgingly take it down some time in January when I couldn't be arsed.

Then I moved out to live with one of my close girlfriends, we had a little Christmas tree the few Christmas' we spent together. Lovingly decorated and filled with presents for our families and friends.

When Hubby and I lived together and Christmas rolled around, he poo-hoo'd the Christmas tree. He said he didn't want a Christmas tree until we had kids around at Christmas time. WHAT! I was sad, but still we didn't have a Christmas tree.

All that changed five years ago though when our little miss had her first Christmas and we had our first Christmas tree! And we have had one ever since. As where we have lived has gotten bigger and bigger to accommodate our growing family - a unit, a townhouse and now a house, our Christmas tree has grown too. Hubby now has to hold little miss up so she can put the star, the sparkly pink star, on top.

I love seeing other people's Christmas trees too. There are some that are so beautifully styled with matching colours and decorations, that even change every year.

I started to think that maybe we were the only ones that had mis-matched decorations, some handmade with love and care, or picked up at a market by the beach. Until I read a post by the lovely Renee over at Mummy, Wife and Me, titled Memory Tree.

I thought, that is what we are creating too, a Memory Tree! So I decided to share some of the memories that we have added to our Christmas tree over the past five years.

Top left: A Santa bell from little misses Grandma that she found in a shop in Batemans Bay.
Top right: A red and green surfing koala from little misses Poppy. He bought this in Noosa because we follow South Sydney and little miss likes koalas.
Middle: An angel made by little miss at preschool this year.
Bottom left: The Christmas decoration made by little misses carers when she was in the baby room at daycare four years ago.
Bottom right: A guest gift from a wedding three years ago. The brides dad had made them and one each was given to the female guests, so you could use it as an earring, pop it in your window or on your Christmas tree.

Do you have a styled Christmas tree?

or a mis-matched tree?

or no tree?

DIY: Preschool Christmas gifts - Reindeer Noses

As you all know it is that time of year again! Christmas! I love Christmas. 

I love to give gifts and little treasures to people. To see their faces light up. It is just wonderful.

For the first time this year, little miss and I made little gifts for her preschool class. Reindeer noses! I got the idea from Pinterest. (BTW, I love Pinterest!).

All you need is....

- Maltesers for the brown reindeer noses

- Jaffas for Rudolph's nose

- Cellophane, and scissors to cut it

- Ribbon

- Hole punch

- Labels, and a pen to write a sweet Christmas message

To put them together all you need to do is...

1. Cut the cellophane into squares.
2. Write a sweet Christmas message on the back of the labels.
3. Count out eight Maltesers (for Santa's eight reindeer; Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Comet) and one jaffa (for Rudolph's nose). 
4. Hole punch the labels and thread a piece of ribbon through the hole. 
5. Tie the piece of ribbon and label around the cellophane containing the noses....whoola! 

Do you give little gifts at Christmas time?

Do you love to make home-made gifts?

You want a Christmas card....here is your Christmas card!

I love to send Christmas cards to my family and friends. Since having kids I am now one of those people that shamelessly puts their picture on the front of the Christmas card each year. This year it was a lovely photo of our two cherubs at the beach.

Every time I have made one of these cards I am reminded of the Seinfeld episode when Elaine puts her picture on a Christmas card.

For those non-Seinfeld fans out there, here is a brief synopsis.

Jerry is dating a Calvin Klein model who sends him a Christmas card with her photo. Elaine says she should do something like that. Kramer chimes in offering to take her picture, so off they go to Kramer's apartment to take the photo for Elaine's Christmas card.

A few scenes later, Jerry receives the card from Elaine, opens it and notices......a nipple!

Elaine's shirt had gapped during the taking of the photo and exposed a nipple. She had sent this card to hundreds of people, except George.

George is very indignant not to have received a card.....the following clip is what ensued and is definitely the funniest clip from this episode.

Do you put a family photo on your Christmas cards?
Have you ever inadvertently sent out a photo showing more than you should? 

What is Christmas to you?

Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas!

As people start decorating their Christmas trees and opening their advent calendars. It got me thinking, what is Christmas to you?

Most people love to have a Christmas tree, carefully and lovingly erected with members of their family on December 1st. We certainly do and ours is sitting proudly in the living room as I write this post - I am wondering how long it is before our 10 month old pulls it down on top of himself though.

For the Griswalds among us, their houses and yards also pay homage to the tokens of a western Christmas with Santa and his reindeer, snowmen, sleighs, Christmas trees, presents and many million flashing lights.

It is also a time when people spend time with family and friends exchanging gifts, eating, drinking and being merry.

For some it is the time of year to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and visit their church to hear sermons and sing hymns.

For us, Christmas is a time to be with family and friends. I also love to send our loved ones Christmas cards, this is a tradition I hope to pass onto my kids - I wonder if there will even be post when they are my age?

It is also a time for us to teach our kids that giving is just as good, if not better, than receiving. We make sure that everyone has a little something under the Christmas tree, no matter how small. Our little miss loves to give these presents out at Christmas time and watch the look on people's faces as they open their gift. It is something I love every Christmas.

This year we are also starting a new tradition with our kids. We are giving to people who are not as fortunate as us. This year we are donating to The Indigenous Literacy Foundation.

What is Christmas to you?

The Great Landscaping Challenge - Stage 5...and FINAL!

Considering the world did not end on 21st December...we awoke on the 22nd to the faint smell of cow shit still floating around the backyard, thanks to the overcast warm days, and of course it was LAWN DAY!!

Brother B, Mum and Dad arrived at 8am and with the help of Hubby started spreading the top soil in the backyard ready for the grass to arrive at 9-10am.

When the top soil was evenly spread, the yard already looked fantastic!!

At 9am the Sapphire turf arrived. I decided on Sapphire as it is a good grower and has a thin soft leaf, which is good for kids....and so the turf laying began.....

Now that we have the lawn I am not sure what we are going to do with ourselves on the weekends! Oh I know, watch Little Miss 4 play outside on the lawn!!

Thanks to Brother B, Mum, Dad and Hubby for getting me a lawn by Christmas :) Not sure what I would do without you guys.

Did you get what you wanted for Christmas?

The Great Landscaping Challenge - Stage 4 (cont)

Stage 4 of The Great Landscaping Challenge has been completed!

The boys, Dad, Hubby and Brother B, spent yet another stinking hot Saturday working in the yard.

This Saturday consisted of more levelling of the yard, building the retaining wall near the clothes line and installing the garden edging. 

Hubby, being the "apprentice" seemed to have the toughest job of digging and digging and putting all the excess onto the ute for the trip to the tip. What a keeper!

Little Miss 4 and I accompanied Dad to Bunnings for a quick 20 minute trip - 2 hours later we were back with the supplies. Note to any pregnant ladies out there trying to get in and out of a bench seat ute - leave a little extra time because it ain't easy!

The grass has been ordered and is arriving on Saturday! All I wanted for Christmas was a lawn and I will have grass for Christmas!! Merry Christmas to me! 

Stay tuned....

What do you want for Christmas?

Is it Christmas already?

Little Miss 4 and I hit the shops recently, only to be confronted with Christmas trees and reindeer....in October! Needless to say that she was beside herself with excitement.

We passed the Santa sleigh where the yearly photos are taken - mind you this is her fourth Christmas and we have zero Santa photos. Not that I can complain, I didn't go near him when I was little either.

Then came the multitude of questions - where is Santa? Why is his sleigh here if he is still at the North Pole? Where are the elves? Does Mrs Claus help Santa? Can we put up our Christmas tree now?

Nice one Westfield! I did contemplate giving Little Miss 4 your number so you can answer all her Christmas queries and explain that Christmas is still 7 weeks away and we can't put up the tree for another 4!

Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas! It is my favourite time of the year - spending time with friends and family, having time off work, great weather (mostly), cricket on the telly (yep I am a cricket fan)...I could go on.

No doubt if I asked my Mum what I was like at this time of year she would probably say similar to Little Miss 4 - actually I should remember to ask her. I probably drove her crazy with questions that she misses answering now.

I have to admit I didn't even notice the shopping centres getting out the decorations earlier and earlier every year.... until Little Miss 4 came along and become aware of Santa, reindeer, elves etc.

Today she wrote her letter to Santa asking for a "talking baby doll called Love Love Dolly" and "a floaty for the pool that has a water pistol" (this is something she saw at the pool shop with Hubby last week, apparently some thing you sit in that has a water pistol attached - for wetting Mummy!)

Looks like I will be living Christmas for the next 7 weeks, which I have decided to embrace because I am sure that I will miss it one day.

Has Christmas talk started in your house?


Image from here.