Delight and Things

It’s that time of year again. December has come and it seems this year I am hit with a christmas fever that I didn’t have last year. Last year I was looking forward to not making a huge deal about the holiday, and I was excited to experience my first hot christmas. I was happy to join a family down in South Australia that I’d never met. I was happy to get up in the morning, open presents with the kids, then have a beer, put on my swimsuit, and head to the pool. I was happy to eat prawns at lunch instead of turkey at dinner, and honestly I hardly even noticed that I was lacking the christmas traditions I was used to. I genuinely enjoyed the creation of a beer can christmas tree (see, the family I was staying with owned a pub) and was suitably impressed at how beautifully it turned out (once the lights were up, the tree was aglow – with all that aluminum reflecting, the tree looked practically like it had a halo). Of course, I could put some of this down to the fact that I was a teeny tiny bit distracted because just days before that I’d met a boy who I had a pretty big crush on… the one I’m still with almost a year later… but I digress.

This christmas I feel a bit different. No, I’ll say a LOT different. I am longing for mittens and fireplaces and winter ales. I’d like to put on some christmas carols, bake a batch of gingerbread, have an eggnog, and decorate the house. I’m pining for the family christmas movie collection with classics such as White Christmas, Love Actually, and The Muppet’s Christmas Carol. (Although there are some who may watch Love Actually at any time of the year, in our household, it’s strictly a christmas film). (And heck yes, I said The Muppet’s Christmas Carol – I may be 24 years old but that is hands down the ultimate version of Dickens’ story). I’m craving hot apple cider, mom’s magic sleigh bell bars (a name that we made up for them when she invented them one christmas), and I’m missing the snow falling outside, the icicles reflecting christmas lights, and the smell of a freshly cut down fir tree in the house. Man. Christmas in Australia is totally not the same as Christmas in Canada.

But I’m getting my Christmas on. I’m going to make my christmas a unique blend of casual summery Aussie beaching and wintery Canadian family merriment. My good friend happens to have an extra christmas tree, so she drove over a nice, surprisingly realistic looking 7 footer yesterday. No, it’s not quite the same as heading out into knee-deep snow to chop down your own tree with an axe, but it’ll do. I’ve got baubles and lights and candy canes. I’ve tuned on to a 24-7 christmas radio station online. I’ve got…. well, I’ll admit I’m watching James Bond at the moment, not something festive, but I’m sure there’ll be some christmassy movies on tv in the next few days. I bought ingredients to whip up that batch of gingerbread I mentioned earlier. And to add to the christmassy goodness, I’ll share a few great links I’ve found.

Wishing my christmas tree looked like this. I’m seriously in love with this ‘tree of a different colour’ as the creator refers to it. Maybe next year.

A crafty idea for a reusable advent calendar. Love the simplicity. I’m keen to paint tiny little paintings that you can hang facing inwards from the pegs and flip over each day.

Can’t get motivated to get out the address book and write up those christmas cards? Perhaps one of these amazing cards will inspire the perfect holiday message.

Printable christmas bingo. My family has a bit of a christmas jeopardy tradition, but perhaps they could slot in christmas bingo for a bit of a change-up.

I’m happy to get a bit more engaged in the season then I did last year because I know it won’t all remind me of home – and I have the feeling that when I’m diving into the impossibly aqua ocean on christmas day here I won’t be wishing for snow. A skype call home and all will be right with the holidays, I’m sure.

Tags: advent calendar, adventcalendar, cards, christmas, christmas cards, christmas traditions, christmas tree, christmas trees, diy