Christmassy...

I love Christmas.... I adore Christmas in fact.  I could honestly hand on heart say, it is my absolute favourite time of year.  But it has to be said that 4 years of Northern Hemisphere Christmas's has ruined me... and a warm Christmas will never be the same as a cosy cold Christmas, having to bundle up and snuggle in front of a warm fire... ahh.. radiator!!

It's our first Southern Hemisphere Christmas in 5 years.  It's warm.  The Christmas tree is up. The Christmas songs are playing (enjoying a touch of Michael Buble this year!!).  But I still haven't found Christmas.

I handmade (and sewed) the children their 'forever' Christmas stockings in the hope that Christmas was found... it wasn't...

Christmas books are out and bedtime stories are told about Christmas.  Still... I can't find Christmas...

Until...

We went to church on Saturday night to our Christmas Spectacular.  We stood up and sung 'The First Noel'... and would you believe... I found Christmas!!  There is something truly magical, truly Christmas about those fundamental carols.

I also wrapped the nieces Christmas presents last night (early I know but we're getting on a plane tomorrow and it just had to be done!!) - I'm normally a Christmas Eve wrapper... in front of The Grinch (you know... the most fabulous Christmas movie EVER with Jim Carrey).  It's not Christmas until I watch that movie (family be warned!!!). And I felt that Christmassy glow all over again!!

It made me think, when did Christmas become more about family and giving and less about the presents and getting.  Since being an adult (whenever that happened... lets be honest... on a good day I'm still 8!!!) and since being away from family... my sense of value has changed.  Value is placed more highly on the things that can make memories. Value is placed on my wee people and making this Christmas lovely... and the next Christmas... and the next.  It's not about what's under my wrapping paper, it's seeing the look of suprise and pleasure when someone else unwraps something.  It's about playing games as a family (good dose of healthy competition in there of course)! It's about being spontaneous... about being generous... about being spontaneously generous!!  And lets be honest... it's about eating way too much... and still having room to pick at the left overs (that will be in the fridge for the better part of 3 weeks after the meal!!)

This Christmas is especially special... my hubby's family (and there are a lot of them!!) is together for the first time in over 10 years at Christmas.  The last time they were all together, that was noteworthy, was at our wedding 6 years ago (and lets be honest, me and hubby had our heads elsewhere during that time).  We are soooo looking forward to this Christmas... to create more special memories of a family that are truely awesome.  I have adored every moment of being a part of this family (and believe me... my family are pretty awesome and set the bar pretty high!!).  What I love so much about hubby's siblings is that they actually like each other... not in a 'have-to-like-you-cause-you're-my-brother' type like but actually 'I-want-to-be-your-friend-and-hang-out-with-you' type like.  They have ups and downs, like any family, but at the end of the day each and every one of them (parents included) would go to the ends of the earth to help should trouble ever arise.  What an awesome definition of family!! That's what I hope to breed into our wee people.  It's my hope that the more that our little ones are around families of such high calibre... the more they will develop that culture in their own values...

6 years ago... all together (please don't be mad that I used this photo?!!)

So, I'm out now until we get back from our fabulous NZ adventures.  We'll be hanging out with the people for whom this blog was created... so you know what?.. I'm gonna lap up all of that time to get me through the 'lows' and 'homesickness' episodes that I will inevitably have next year.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!