The Lost Tribe

It isn't even December and I have put up my outside decorations. Not a lot but they are there.
I've made Christmas cake and only need to give it one more soaking of Brandy.
I bought the Christmas crackers for the table and I've had the festive napkins for several weeks.
I think, will need to check my list, I have most of the presents bought.

At this rate I'll be able to nap til the 25th.

I've thought about the fact Christmas is coming up *grin*

We're having our first Christmas at our place which is pretty exciting. I know what we're eating, just need to organise it now! I don't do decorations until two weekends before - real tree, so they die too quick

I've already planned and finished everything I need to do for Christmas:

1. Buy a couple of crappy presents
2. Organise for a lift to Yack, organise for a lift back.

Done!

We've been testing rum balls.

First it was contreau then bundy rum and next will be baileys.

So far my vote is for rum - the contreau orange flavor did not really come out. Perhaps I should try agin with some orange zest + extra contreau.

I got my outside lights and decorations up, I've got sh*t everywhere inside though. So this week, I am hitting the pause on the painting to Christmas clean and put up my trees in the evening.

It's December. I need to surround myself with Christmas!

Went through all my photos, pulled out negatives and had reprints made of all the Christmas pictures of my brother-in-law who died last year.

I bought a Christmas ornament frame to hold one of the best and the others will go into an album as a gift for Paul's sister.

Sad but sweet remembering all the good times while putting it all together.

The kahlua plus a little instant coffee "rum" balls are the best.

Will you be sharing the recipe?
I have kahlua and instant coffee.

Don't have to prepare anything at all, I just have to move into another unit before Christmas (what a drag) then fly to Adelaide. My family decided not to buy presents for each other (we have everything we want) so we will relax in good company on the beach and farm. Just need to drag myself through the next two weeks!

So, menu sorted:

Roast pork
Orange and whiskey glazed ham
Roast turkey
Sweet Potato Casserole
Smashed potatoes
Green beans
Squash/zucchini mix

Plum pudding with brandy custard


Presents sorted bar 2 - Brother and Sister in law, neither of whom are hard to buy for.

Now I just need to buy the Christmas tree this weekend!

I'm not setting any menus yet as it might just be Raistlin and I for Christmas.

I think Nachos are a wholly appropriate Christmas lunch!

I'm eating whatever Mum serves up, but if there's no crackling then there'll be Hell to pay.

Wife flies out to WA the 17th returning Jan 1st to spend the festivities with her Grandchildren and other family members so I am not making any plans at all but will eat and drink well. I will hold the fort and look after dog, cat, fish, chooks, ducks.

Decorated today. There are more baubles still in the boxes than up but it suits me fine.

I had a good weekend. Got the second tree up. It's the one in the front window that everyone sees and it looks pretty fun with its multi-coloured lights. It's got all my special ornaments too, so it's fun to walk around and remember where I got them from. Also decorated the room that it's in (combination dining room and library). It's all quite happily Christmasy.

I put up four pretty wreaths out on the side fence and back gate. Now that side looks quite quaint.

Cleaned up half of the Great Hall and managed a trip to Ikea to buy the new chairs to go around the new mega expanding table. Also got the old table and chairs picked up. Moved all of the construction material into the garage (which I cleaned up specifically to make room). Now just need to pressure clean the other half, vacuum the outdoor lounges and put up the tree.

Put away all of the Christmas boxes, many of which still had decorations in them. That doesn't happen very often and indicates to me that I need to do a cull this year.

And I made choccie Christmas puddings, gingerbread men/squirrels/trees/stars, choc coated orange shortbread and Coconut Macaroons. I was going to make sno-balls too, but I didn't get them made, so they aren't getting made! I will make some white chocolate peppermint bark and maybe some milk choc toasted walnut bark. They take little effort.

Raistlin hung the door on the toilet, finished laying the floating timber in the Queen Room and worked about 40 hours since Thursday. And he lined the Christmas Cave with left over gyprock before we put the boxes away.

We still need to get the trim in the Queen Room and the furniture put in so that my in-laws can stay there for Christmas. And I have that last tree to put up, the Great Hall to decorate and some fairy lights put up around the pool. And I do have to plan a menu for Christmas as well.

At least I feel like I'm on top of it now!

We gave all our years of decorations to our new neighbours " Up the hill ". A pair of young battlers with 3 kids and a near totally disfunctional past and trying hard. They lost all their lights etc in a storm that passed through Sheffield last Xmas. This festive season is going to be different for me that's for sure .
Mae your effort as in past years is to be commended and sounds mind boggling, will you take some semi inebriated photos and post them on the board.. Please ..

If I didn't enjoy it so darn much, I wouldn't do it. It's one of those harmless creative outlets that I don't have anywhere near enough of! I get so much joy from the sparkles and shiny things... it balances out most of the anxiety I hold in my heart around Christmas. If anyone can tell me how to get rid of that, I'd appreciate it.

Take a time out amongst the festivities and sit down with a good port or three and read some Dickens. Breathe deeply slow right down put the feet up and dive in you might be surprised at the emotional release .

Not sure about the Dickens (unless you are talking A Christmas Carol) but agree with the rest. Perhaps Austen. Just can't imagine that reading Our Mutual Friend would be anything but depressing.

However....

Dickens is poverty , hardship, strength of spirit and triumph over adversity written in beautiful english meant to be read slowly and deeply as the port is to be drunk slowly and deeply. I find most of his stories a triumph of human nature rather than depressing.
Actually there is a dramatisation of I think Oliver Twist on ABC soon for christmas viewing but the port is still mandatory.

That is a problem I do have with my reading.

I am very guilty of reading too fast chasing the plot rather than taking my time and soaking up the the atmosphere. Could make a good NY resolution. Read more slowly and drink more port.

Will give it some thought.

Oh my.
Into the Christmas cookies. Enjoying the fancy cheese. At least I've held off opening the wine.

Come on Christmas I'm ready!!!

The beer and rum are flowing, the fridges are full. There's a gap under my tree 'cause my package from home hasn't arrived, but I guess that means I'll have 3 christmases this year.

The candles will be lit at sundown and the nog quaffed. So glad it's finally here.