Another Christmas, Plus A NYE, on Nauru

Plotting out our work schedule when we first got this new contract started, our team had dismayed at the prospect of being on island for the Christmas and NYE double within a rotation. Being away from home across the holiday period is always a bit strange, and tough on family. But I had done it last year and knew what we were in for, and with some forewarning, my family had our family gathering a weekend early at home.

The thing is, Nauru LOVES Christmas. They go all out! Decorations galore - and the lit up houses and businesses are worth accidentally doing a lap on the bus around the island. So pretty!

On Christmas morning, our team gathered early together for a breakfast in the Mess, and Secret Santa exchanges, before heading to work.

I managed to score a role to accompany clients to church for the morning, which was a pretty special experience. I definitely have never attended church on Christmas Day before, and as an an atheist, totally went for the amazing singing.

But it was so meaningful to see people so very into the spirit of Christmas, and finding such solace from their faith. I am, as always, in awe of the hope, courage, and support faith brings people.

This church pictured was not that one I went to, but one of the one's on the excursion on the day.

The week in between flew by, with our usual working schedule, and before I knew it it was time to figure out plans for NYE.

In the end, a couple of us headed down to the beautifully lit O-Dn Hotel. We had a couple of beers here, before getting some takeaways and heading down to the beach in front of the hotel.

Our little gathering sat at the waters edge in a haphazard circle in the sand, with the moon shining above us, lighting the shore, the pier and the cantilevers nearby. The moon had a spooky and magical ring around it, which seemed to make the night even more special.

We saw in the countdown at midnight, and then delighted in the local fireworks coming from the main road.

So many of my key, meaningful experiences over this rotation I cannot share, for several reasons. Needless to say, it was a Christmas build up and New Year Eve countdown to remember, with some really amazing people. Some very special memories that will have to remain my very own.

Our theme for the New Year's wishes seemed to naturally be "New Year, new start!" Such hope for this year, 2015, for change and humanity. May it be a happy one ahead, for all!

Alternative Xmas Gift Ideas: For Social Good

The excess of Christmas continues to despair me. Such a waste. Such misguided expression. Such a perpetual feeding of our consumer driven world, and a distraction from the things that matter - family, love, hope, and humanity.

So I wanted to share some of the places we could all direct our spending, to do some good in the world instead, or as well, as the excess. For people who most need it - those faced with little hope.

With the glow of the Season's Greetings lights across Victoria Harbour on my recent visit to Hong Kong, here are my current Top 5 better places to throw your cash this Christmas:

SisterWorks - a Melbourne community group project working on empowering asylum seeker, refugee and migrant women, to find employment, and ultimately support them to gain the better life they dreamt of. Microfinance is something I really think is helpful for many people around the world, and the value of the additional emotional support goes without saying!

The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, also in Melbourne, is a community organisation that provides me with hope of a better Australia everyday. Their work in advocacy and real support to the people who need it blows me away all the time. The ASCR Christmas Appeal supports their ongoing work, of which 95% of funds come from community donations. These funds go to help with providing meals and groceries, legal assistance and case support, employment services, education and development programs, as well as a much needed accessible health service.

A friend of mine does a monthly grocery drive for the ASRC Food Bank, which I am impressed with every time she posts about it. I would love to be part of one. Give me a shout out if you want to form one together!

The situation in Syria is the world's current tragedy that makes my eye leak the most over this past year. There is so much that is needed for the people of Syria, but whilst the war rages, the basics are really the only realistic thing you and I can help with at this time. Assistance for some 6 million displaced people is what's needed, which is a mammoth task. The UN World Food Program was facing a funding crisis in their ability to continue to provide basic food supplies to those in need in Syria, and thus launched this appeal to call for funds to keep this vital assistance available. So, here is the link for the Syria Emergency UN WFP Appeal.

Closer to home is the need for disadvantaged Aussie families, and the gift of the joys of childhood - books, being read to, and having toys to play with. Buy a book for a child in need, through the Smith Family Toy And Book Appeal.

I always add a goat, or a cow, or something useful from the Oxfam Unwrapped Christmas Gifts to my Secret Santa wishlist, but never get one! No one thinks I am serious, but I am. A sustainable gift to a community, to help them feed and support themselves, is always a wish of mine!

These are the things that would bring back some of the idea of the Christmas spirit to me, and I'll be spreading donations across these 5 amazing causes over the weekend to try and bring me a little cheer as we read of the horrors going on in the world. May 2015 be a year where we win, more than we cry for humanity.

Please feel free to add any worthwhile causes YOU feel passionately about this Christmas, in the comments, for us all to consider, and give!

Project 52: Tuesday Evening

(I am awaiting the paired collage for this one)

Christmas Eve last year was my second day off on my first work rotation, after which many of us gathered at the Reef Bar at the hotel where we were staying as employees on Nauru, for evening drinks. Whilst we were sitting at our beachside table, the power on the island went out as the moon rose up out of the ocean....it was spectacular!

This is the last post of Project 52 from 2013 with Jess from FuShMuSh.

Project 52: Tuesday Morning

Preparing for my new job, and finishing off my short term contract with my old one, I returned back to Ballarat and the old office to complete my final work days - plus I needed to stay at Mum's due to my homelessness! On my way into the office, I spotted the massive cluster of Christmas baubles in front of the Town Hall - pretty impressive!

This post is part of Project 52 with Jess from FuShMuSh.

Christmas In Nauru

This has probably been the most meaningful Christmas I have spent in a long time, and it was mostly with people who do not even celebrate it in their religion. I had a great start to the day, but then work got intense pretty quickly, and was one of the toughest I have had. It felt so special to be part of such important work.

Without the retail mayhem of home, it was frequently difficult to remember that Christmas Day was actually looming most days - except that Nauru as an island reminded us with extravagantly decorated homes and shops all around the one road lap. The talk was that there was a prize of $10,000 for the best decorated home, and so the neon combinations, the more the better, were so impressive!

This, and seeing the way people live quite simply here, brought the festive season into such perspective.

Our nightly bus ride home from work around the island brought the Christmas cheer to us through the windows. Plus, the local versions of Christmas songs on repeat on the bus radio!

On the morning, after a bit of a Christmas Eve drinking session with new friends along the beach, we had a staff Christmas breakfast down along the beach at the hotel where we are staying. Pancakes and cheer was on the menu, and it started the day off with such joy and mutual support in this strangest of living circumstances.

I had called home the day before, on my day off, in preparation for an on-the-go day, but I did manage to get a call through to London at an appropriate time for that part of the world. Katie and I could not have spent a more polar opposite Christmas if we tried, this year!

The work day was full of smiles and "Merry Christmas" wishes from fellow colleagues, and also clients. I had a fully multicultural lunch in with the people I am working with, which felt very special to be part of.

More drinks at our hotel's bar at the end of a long day, checking in with each other, and taking care of our own well being wrapped up the day.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, and found meaning in the day. I have certainly had the chance to appreciate the things that are important in life, through my work here. Love to all!

I Don't Want A Present - Make A Difference This Xmas Instead!

I admit that I am a big scrooge when it comes to Xmas, which is actually mostly about the fuss and waste of it all. I despair at the amount of money people throw away at things like decorations, the excessive electricity bills (let alone the waste of the non-renewable resource to generate it!) of Xmas lights, and then all the meaningless gifts.

Even things bought with the very best intentions can be such a waste for someone on a tight budget. Or when you remember that so many people in our communities have so very little.

It saddens and maddens me!

As a blogger this year, though, I was approached by One Girl and told about their Xmas solution to all of this. The very same organisation that had us racing around in school dresses last year at the cricket have come up with I Don't Want A Present.

Funds raised through the donation page are working towards assisting to repair the school in small town Ronietta in Sierra Leone that is in ruin, is unsafe, and will be closed down by the government.  The goal of $50,000 will complete the school rebuild. Each $195 will get one of these kids back into school.

I don't need to comment about how important schooling is to each of us, and the opportunities that an education brings. The 10 year war in Sierra Leone has seen some 1200 school burnt down, and if a slim sliver of our Xmas cheer budget for drinks, and token gifts, and a trimming or two could be re-channelled, lives could be changed.

That sounds like what the notion of Xmas should be more about to me!

So instead of Xmas cards, and postage. Or token treats or weird traditional foods people don't actually eat anymore. Or rather than that half-thought out gift to someone you know could just buy what you were getting them, if they really wanted it, please kick in to my I Don't Want A Present.

Merry Christmas Melbourne

Christmas in Melbourne, and of course we have had the full four seasons in the build up - sweltering heat, rain and storm clouds. The usual!

Here are some of the festive sights that have caught my eye around town this month:

Federation Square has been covered in plastic trees for the month - an installation called In The Pines, it contains 250 recycled plastic Xmas trees. Walking in among them is really something else - a little forest in the Square!

Flinders Street Station has been the boldest, with it's message. This lettering features a lit

City Square has had a little Christmas Village, with Santa and toy soldiers all around - and this massive Xmas tree.

The Town Hall has been the canvas to a spectacular light show, which I have only seen photos from other people, but it looked pretty impressive.

Bourke Street has taken on a Jingle Bells theme, which for much of the month simply meant the banners calling it that. But finally the canopy of bells was completed along the full length of the Mall.

However in my lengthy daily commute during the month, I have seen some pretty horrendous Xmas decorations.  The tree in QV with it's construction zone-type flags wound around it as it's only decoration. Yuck!

The tacky red Xmas tree in the middle of Whitehorse Road in Box Hill is pretty ugly, and surely seen many years by the look of it. The mammoth tree above Santa at Doncaster Shoppingtown, with it's out of proportion lights and trail of reindeer floating around it was also a strangely disturbing sight.

But that's Christmas, isn't it!? Some lovely bits, some tacky, over-the-top bits. The good bits, and the stress and excess...

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it today. I hope it has the  right amount of good bits for you!

Gingerbread Village

Now that it is December it is perfectly ok to delight in all the Xmas stuff all about.  Not November, and definitely not October!  And so today I took Michelle and Dee on a little wander among some of the Melbourne festive sights, including the Gingerbread Village.

Located at the Town Hall, I first read about it on Carly's blog last year, and was keen to have a look this year. Entry is via a gold coin donation for the Starlight Foundation, and there was a little line up to get into the room of sweet display!

Many of Melbourne's icons are constructed out of gingerbread and all the trimmings - including the MCG, complete with an AFL Grand Final set up from this year, and Luna Park, full with people riding the rollercoaster and walking in under the big mouth.

The detail of the street scenes is pretty impressive, with the Sunday market next to the Art Centre and it's lit spire, including a butcher with a string of sausages, a fruit stall, cakes and treats, and even a kebab stand.

The detail was impressive. Little people in the scenes up to all sorts of everyday things, and then some quirky things for the very observant. There is a wedding party near the big church, and a skier on the pond on a bit of trouble.  More than one, really, but I suspect the headless man may be repaired for tomorrow!

In among the Melbourne landmarks was a windmill, and a castle, which didn't seem to have much to do with Xmas, but there were enough Xmas trees to pull it all together.

Open everyday until Christmas Eve, it's well worth the pop in for a peek.

The ball hitting the post at the MCG is a bit of cruelty really, but the detail in each feature of the room is very well done. I wonder who gets to eat all the icons once Xmas arrives!?

You can see more of my photos of the displays here on my Facebook page.

Kiva Loan for Xmas

I haven't sent Xmas cards for years and years, but still receive a handful every year from the diligent and very organised few who have, or seek out, my current address. Each year I feel guilty about not returning the favour, but this year, albeit into January now, I have decided to do something in return.

Some months back I opened a Kiva account, where microfinance loans are donated through the site, and recipients pay these back on a planned program, through an in-country partner of the site. Microfinance is something that I have really believed in since studying it within my Masters in International and Community Development.

Microfinance is the practice of loaning people in developing nations a small financial loan to get a business idea started, or to expand their current business to assist with growth. It started in Bangladesh, as the Grameen Bank, with amazing success rates for women increasing their craft market wares.

In October I contributed to 2 loans. One for a man in Mongolia, who requested a loan to buy a truck to expand his transport business. The other was to a woman in Cambodia who had asked for some help with pig feed to expand her pig farm, to generate income for her family. The repayments on the loans on Kiva can then be rolled over to new loans, in a continual donation to individuals who are working at helping themselves. The ultimate self determination process in supporting poverty relief worldwide.

So in the place of Xmas cards this year, I have given a loan to Martha in Nicaragua to help expand her retail store, with stock purchases. So thank you Jenny, Belinda, Renee, Liz and Cathal, and Nicole. May Martha expand her business, and support her family, giving her an ongoing source of income and sustainability.

Xmas '11

Wow, Xmas has sped past us again, in a whoosh of frenetic activity, catching up with people, and a rush to get work done before a handful of days off. Still largely in denial that it was really upon us, I have managed to get through the other side of the silly season.

One of my first catch ups was a trip out to visit Andrea, and see Cooper and Charli. Amazingly, gifts for these soon to be 5 year old twins was the first purchase I made in the lead up to Xmas, actually back in October! Unheard of! I popped out to see them, and hang out for the afternoon on my day off. We exchanged gifts, Andrea and I had coffees and caught up, and we even made fake snow with the kids. Was so great to spend this time with them.

Having boycotted the work Xmas party this year in protest of it's less than original idea, and the lack of accommodation for us Regionally based Consultants, I was keen to ensure I enjoyed the lunch planned for Xmas Eve Eve. Having done all that I could for the week, after having some truly harrowing things happen to my clients in the build up to this tough time for people with a mental illness, our Ballarat office headed out to Pipers By The Lake for our lunch.

Here we also exchanged our Shit Kringle gifts....inspired by something I had read, and replacing that silly idea that you can get anything good for someone as a gift for $10. This was very funny, with random exchanges including Xmas toilet paper, a sex shop goodie bag, a tacky Aussie touristy souvenir, and Post Adelaide Football Club Xmas baubles.

After lunch and many white wines, Michelle and I then requested to be dropped off at the Lake View for a continuation of the Xmas white wine in the sun theme. Eventually some of her mates joined us after their Xmas break up, and we went into town for dinner. Michelle and I ended up sitting in the intimate window table for 2 for amazing pizza and more wine, at The Main Bar. One of my favourite places in Ballarat at the moment!

Next we walked back down into Sturt Street as the sun was fading, and introduced Michelle to the amazing Portico on Sturt, where we sampled more wine, chilled band, and awesome atmosphere. Janelle joined us here before we walked across the road to end the night dancing at Irish Murphy's.

Xmas Eve landing on a Saturday called for an afternoon session, so I had booked a table for lunch for Melanie, Renee, Michelle and little Nisha and I, at Lake View, to get started. After lunch, Mel and Renee and I moved to the front room, and settled in for the mini-Ballarat reunion that is Xmas eve out.

Dinner was a Xmas catch up with Dad with the girls and Heath, across the road at the Boatshed. Back across the road for more drinks and catching up with people, Michelle eventually dropped by and drove me home via Katie's and Dave's Xmas lights display.

After all that, Xmas Day was a more subdued affair...as usual, with plans to drive down to Melbourne for the cricket. I joined the girls and Heath at Mum's for a (delayed for me) breakfast and gift exchange. We then enjoyed the traditional Xmas lunch spread, before popping out to our Aunt and Uncle's to catch up with the extended family. Back home in the afternoon, a seafood dinner outside in the fading light of the day in the backyard was a perfect way to finish the silly season!

Hope you had a good one!

Early Xmas Acknowledgement

Last night when I was working back late, my iPod played Last Christmas by Wham! on shuffle. My personal rule is that I don't need to acknowledge Xmas until I hear this track by chance. I think this is the earliest ever!! It is not even December yet!

Not that the lack of December has stopped anyone else from bringing Xmas madness to our eyes and ears all month. The Xmas tree in the centre of Ballarat has been up since around Melbourne Cup Day, and I definitely heard hideous carols over the speakers at the supermarket a couple of weeks ago.

However, getting a little closer this week, which may be more acceptable, when I drove home late, late on Sunday night, the lights on the trees and the reindeer and their sleigh had been switched on down Sturt Street, which also included red and green faces on the Town Hall clock.

I had to be careful staking out for these pictures, because these decorations, and also the tree near the Bridge Mall have been recent targets for people setting them on fire, and acts of vandalism such as bauble stealing.

I read news that it's snowing in London, so that's cute!

Xmas Casino Royale

Friday night was our work Xmas party, and having the theme of Casino Royale, the preparations led to discussions about fur, bling, beehives and poker! What else!

Arriving into the Southbank area after spending an hour at the hairdresser, Mary met me on the tram and we soon located the Queens Loft, under Kings Way. My hairdresser was loving my request for a beehive, and demands for more height. She fussed for so long....and I loved it!

Mary and I met up with many of the Melbourne girls, all in black, some white, and sparkles. For a couple of drinks I was the only colour in the room, before the Ballarat crew arrived!

The room was decked out with a roulette table, a blackjack and poker tables, with a patient and cheeky dealer at each, handing out play chips, and coaxing winning decisions, as we all drank, giggled and caught up over the night.

Not having a clue about card games (except blackjack after many drinks), and not really into gambling, my attention span for the games was limited. Everyone had such fun, and it was a great idea for the night's activities.
As the top money maker of the night was announced, and then our funny office awards were given out, I was awarded the Consultant with the craziest clients of the year. Ahhh, the memories of all those bizarre referrals!

After some dancing, the group soon made our collective way across the road to a bar in the real Casino. I have a vague memory of having to climb over a massive pot plant to skip walking the long way around to get into the Casion, by my General Manager and Regional Manager nonetheless....amazingly I don't actually remember how that happened....probably for the best!

More drinks in a bar at Crown, led to a very late dash to McDonald's, before the Regional girls headed back to their hotel room, and I hung out for a bit before getting a taxi home. What a great night, and a top way to finish off a very hard worked year!

Santa Pub Crawl

I arrived at Naughton's yesterday, barely recognising the old uni haunt, and broke my personal rule of not drinking on my own, as I waited for my fellow pub crawl participants to arrive. Mary soon joined me, and when Melissa, Greg and Nick arrived, we ordered a pub lunch and pints to start the day.

Revisiting the pubs of my uni days was a bit of a let down, with Naughton's almost unrecognisable from those days, and The Clyde not open in time for us, the next on the Carlton North route was Percy's. We walked in, Santa hats adorned to the old man pub interior and some strange looks. Nick proposed that we were in Mafia territory as we were surrounded by old Carlton gang (and footy) photos on the walls.

Next was the Irish themed Pugg Mahones, after Greg and Nick finally submitting to the pressure of wearing santa hats for the day. A pot was had at one of the little tables in the back area, after having the front bar watch us walk through with stares.

Around the corner onto Nicholson Street was another old haunt of mine when I lived around here, the Clare Castle. Coming a long way since it's dingy interior provided cheap pub meals at poor student prices, this modernised pub has a coffee machine and cake counter! No! As we settled in for our pot, we decided we may have to double up here, so that we could get a listen to the band warming up. The hippy look, strange tuning sounds, and our giggly anticipation were met by Amy and Tammany, and foam snow covered Meggsy. As the band started all our predictions came true, and we downed our pot and fled...much to the horror of the apparently diehard fans of the Songwriters Guild. Oops!

Getting to the Rathdowne Tavern we were joined by elves, a candy-cane wielding Robbie, and a Santa-suited Springer. Greg and I discovered the strange bathroom water feature, before we moved on to the Dan O'Connell, and were joined by more festive people for the festive rounds.

Drinking in the front bar of The Brandon, James joined us, who I haven't seen since his big overseas adventures. We negotiated a quick stop at The Kent, who were wary of a big, rowdy group, assuring them we were just there for one, amid their Xmas lunching crowd.

Our first bonus stop on route was Gerald's Bar, a much recommended spot, just around the corner from home, and never visited. With the sun shining through the lace curtains at the front window, our round was a brew out of a very tall beer bottle....of which I have no recollection of the name!

The Rising Sun, which is actually a wine bar called Enoteca now, would not have a bar of us, and as I dared to wander in to use the facilities, I was chased in and out by the staff. Hmmm.

Decking out a long outside table in the barmy dusk Melbourne night at The Great Northern, our group paused here for our pot and a much needed feed. Great food at one of my favorite pubs, and one of my locals for the last 2 years. This is actually the end of the route, but there were a few more stops begging for our attention, and our thirst, in the area!

Walking along Pigdon Street our large group accosted a passer by to take a funny, large group photo, before we visited Bar Nothing. Here, with their 6 cocktails for $20 special, we had a round of sweet pink Sandra Sully's, and were then transported back to the late 90s with a Fruit Tingle. This bar is very cute, rustic, and again, another great bar so close to my house, and yet not visited until now.

Rounding out our Santa pub crawl at The Empress for one last, tired beer, this is the end of my crazy drinking year! Such fun! So many great drinking places found around Melbourne, through the Project 2009 and the many pub crawls of the year. I have certainly made up for last year's forced sobriety!

Jersey Boys

Before Katie heads off to the other side of the world to have Xmas with Jessie, Melissa thought that we could all get together as a little family, as Mum's Xmas present, and see Jersey Boys. The actual event was to be a surprise for Mum, and amid her protests and proclimations of all the things she wouldn't like, Melissa struck a winner with this one.

Driving down in the belting and sudden rain, we met Melissa at my house, and had her lovingly prepared dinner. Bless her! Risotto and wine, and strawberries dipped in chocolate, this served as our family Xmas meal, bon bon popping included.

We found a dream park not far from the Princess' Theatre, and between rain showers, made our way inside and to our seats.

The story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Opening with a French version of Oh What A Night, and the announcement that this track was Number 1 (in France) in 2000, all these years after the boom of The Four Seasons, we are then taken back to the beginning and the discovery of Francis' voice, Bob Gaudio's songwriting, and the path to fame and chart topping hits. The stage show also takes you behind the scenes, and tells the stories behind the men, their mistakes and trouble they find themselves in, and the battles this leads within the group.

Breaking through to the charts, and before us on the stage, with Sherry, the show led us through the different starts and formations of the band, and then their big hits like Walk Like A Man, and Can't Take My Eyes Off You.

Missing London

Last week the London Xmas lights were turned on, and it's pics like this that make me miss London...just a tiny bit.

My Xmas over there, and especially our White Xmas was a highlight of my time in the UK and Europe.

Jessie also sent us a parcel which arrived this week, and so I am sitting here eating Percy Pigs! One of my favourite things of London! Now if only I can get someone to send me the Xmas special sandwich from Pret, with the brie and cranberry, and maybe a Love Bar too, I would be set food wise!

And Jessie is there. I would love to see Jessie!

But I don't for a second miss the darkness. The ice cold wind in your face as you walk to anywhere. The long ride on the tube to work. The amount of people rushing through the tube stations, and crammed onto the tube. Ew!

It was just a little pang.....

Xmas In July

On Friday night, work put on a dinner for Xmas in July. Drinks at the office began as I was still finishing up bits and pieces, before I finally made it into the tea room with the rest of the office. A traveller got me through the walk to Bank Place, and our table setting upstairs at The Mitre Tavern.

Despite the rowdy, blokey atmosphere downstairs, our room became rowdy in it's own right as the beer and wine flowed, and everyone let their hair down. Mingling around the tables, and getting into the full entree and main spread, the drinking soon took over the focus.

By the time we were done, and had exhausted the tab, downstairs was empty, and we all traipsed the streets along to Transport. I remember that there was vodka consumed here, but hazy recall here, as the crew kicked on. I have flash backs of running up the hill back to the office to grab some things with Joey, before heading home very late....

Yesterday morning confirmed that I don't need to see The Hangover, I live it regularly! A world of pain, I dragged myself through the shower and into the car to get into town for the match. Very messy trip to the MCG, oops! We found our seats and settled in for the Geelong v Hawthorn game, with expectations going any which way.

Such a great match, with our lads playing like hungry, hungry Hawks, and trying their hearts out. The end result, alas, was one of heartbreak, and a heart stopper during the last 5 minutes. Geelong by one point after the siren. Devastated! And yet, very very proud of our boys.

Christmas Town and Country

Battling the Melbourne city shops on the Saturday before Xmas was what I did, with Jenny and her mother this year. We tracked through store to store, trying to find particular items on wishlists. Many, many hours later, and an unsuccessful attempt at avoiding actually venturing into Myer, Jenny I and were fairly homicidal by the end of the day.

Sunday I hitched a ride home to Ballarat with Jo, both of us mortified by the sight of utes and 4WDs decked out with tinsle in the Ballarat main streets. Katie and I hit the Bridge Mall soon after - and the contrast of the day before what amazing. A lonely Santa sat on his own, forlornly looking left and right for any potential interested child. The slower pace was much easier to manage!

I worked from the Ballarat office for the three days leading to Xmas, and being in a quiet, happy and relaxed office was just what I needed. I even got a lot of work done!

I caught up with Jo for lunch on Monday at Europa, and then Melanie and Kiayn at Oscar's on Tuesday. I also had lunch with Renee and Graham at Gee Cee's on Wednesday, after a very late night the night before at the office, as I slide into the work shutdown period.

Mum, Melissa and I headed over to Uncle Donald's and Auntie Carole's for our annual Christmas Eve catch up, before we joined the car queue in Alfredton to see the row of home Christmas lights display.

Christmas at home this year was just the four of us, with Jessie and Noodles chasing their white Christmas in the Highlands of Scotland. French Toast for breakfast before gift exchanges, and a call from Scotland. Lunch preparations soon followed.

After eating ourself silly, we headed out to catch the extended family, and marvel at how much all the kids out there have grown. We got to swap Carribean cricket travel stories this year, as we took in every Wiggles noise maker there is!

The two little santas, Cooper and Charli popped in, with Andrea and Dean, on their way to their Christmas dinner. Such little people now, with Charli giving kisses and waves, and Cooper asserting his personality. Such cuties.

Kim joined us for dinner, which is now a seafood tradition, before Melissa and I packed the car and headed back to Melbourne, another Christmas over.

Our Christmas Tree

The Christmas cheer and spirit seems to have arrived at our house, all in one hit. As Christmas cards arrive, Jenny has started finding her Christmas bits and pieces, and we have slowly started bring the cheer out to the house.

The tree arrived by delivery last weekend, minus promised bucket, and thus sat limply in the hallway for a day - until a bucket was found, and Lizette's dad was bribed into helping us make sure the tree would stand. Bless him!

Next was stringing baubles, and untangling a box of pink and silver decorations, ready for the tree garnish.

Filling the house with the smell of pine forest, the tree stands proudly in the living room, and has even demanded a furniture re-arrange to mark it's placement.
So baubles all strategically placed, the much necessary tinsel, and candy canes a plenty, all adorn our big, real tree for this year's display of the season.

I didn't really feel the magic of the season until Jenny found her candleabra for the window sill. So enchanting! Reminds me of our beautiful and wonderful white Xmas in Sweden.

So now I am ready for this monster annual celebration, with the countdown now on until I can finish work, and start the festivities properly. Come on now, already!

Greeting Card Campaign

Jess alerted me to the UK Amnesty International's Greetings Card Campaign. Part of their tireless work to fight human rights abuses all over the world, they have launched an initiative to incorporate people's Xmas cards routine.

At risk cases identified for the Campaign, reading each one is harrowing, and a reminder of how lucky we are to live the lives we do.

I am going to send off a couple, picking people based in countries I have visited. So hard to narrow down otherwise! Journalist Pablo Pacheco Avila, in Cuba, and Ferhat Gerçek in Turkey will receive cards from me. AI state that the impression international mail makes to the authorities can help raise awareness about each case.

One More Month

 

The Melbourne Myer Christmas windows are in full display, and means that it's getting very close to Xmas. This year is a progress of Santa's preparations, with this window - the first, Christmas College for Elves - being all the 'training' that goes in. Loved the department for 'Christmas Intelligence'! Also answers to questions about how Santa gets around to everyone, how they time the run to cover different cultures and countries Xmas day....

I was inspired by Nat's and Jess' posts about this years lights in London, and checking on the lights from when I was there.

The closer Xmas is, the closer I am to putting this DVT chapter behind me. Very excited for that!