Well I left you last having just been to carols by candlelight. That was the first time I felt really festive because up until then it was too just hot and sunny to feel like christmas. Over here you dont really get the big build up like you do at home either. The aussies are typically laid back about everything and only seem to start planning for christmas a couple of days before. They just dont get that excited about christmas, well i guess for them it is just another day to have a barbie.
That wasnt quite the case in my sister's house though. It was hard to work out who was most excited between her and the kids. But her enthusiasm was infectious and I soon became just as excited about our traditional english christmas in the sunshine as she was. The run up week was the usual rush of shopping, wrapping, list-writing and cleaning. One highlight was a trip to the local shopping centre during late night shopping. The car was in for a service so we took to 25 year old banger of a courtesy car. Seriously, it was embarassing to be seen in. It was a complete crap-heap of a car, so much so that when we came to put the shopping in the boot, it wouldnt open. So while cars queued behind us for our parking space I climbed into the boot by going over the back seat and Katy passed the stuff to me bit by bit....it took forever!! Then after struggling to get it started we got home and had to get all the bloody stuff out again only this time it was dark so you just had to feel around and hope for the best. Hilarious.
So before I knew it, it was christmas eve. Boot had to go into work, so me and Katy took the kids to the beach. Went went to Brighton which is about a ten minute drive from the house. It was a bit blustery down the front (kinda reminded me of skeg) and the kids werent all that impressed. Scarlett complained that she was cold and proceeded to put on a hoody and a coat. Ok, so it was windy but it was still about 30 degrees! I think someone wouldnt do so well at the great british seaside...haha.
So we retreated back to house at the insistence of the kids and set the paddling pool up for them. Supervision was then carried out by me and Katy sat out in the garden, cider in hand. I struggled on through. Later in the evening Kelly and Andy came over. They are friends of Katy and Boot, who emigrated around the same time and live just down the street. We put the kids to bed early, because they had to make sure they were asleep for when santa arrived, and spent the evening chilling out on the patio with nibbles and alcohol. Pretty good way to see in christmas I think.
So christmas morning arrived and I was woken by Scarlett's screams of delight as she discovered her stocking. The next couple of hours were then a frenzy of excited unwrapping and instant playing. The last time I had a christmas morning like that was when I was the excited kid, so it was amazing to experience it again with Scarlett and Josh. Santa brought Scarlett a barbie dolls house and Josh a Thomas the thank engone train set. Both of which were massive successes.
After a series of webcams with all the family and wishing everyone back home a very merry christmas we left the kids playing with their mountain of new toys and started christmas dinner. I was put on cocktail duty while Katy prepared our mammoth christmas feast. We went all out with turkey, pork, veggies, yorkshire puddings, pigs in blankets (cooked on the bbq of course), apple cranberry and bread sauce as well as paxo stuffing from the british lolly shop. Kelly and Andy joined us in the early afternoon bringing with them a starter of smoked salmon and prawns...yuuum! So the afternoon quickly passed in a blur of good food and good company. Once dinner was suitably digested Andy and Boot took the kids in the pool to test out their new water slide, while the girlies tidied up and had a well-deserved drink or few. Somehow we then got the inspired idea of playing a hilarious game of twister before tucking the exhausted kids in bed. The night was finished in the best way possible, me and Katy got in the pool at midnight for a moonlit swim. Now thats something you just cant do back home....
So christmas day might have been over, but the partying surely wasnt. The next three days were back-to-back pool parties with different friends of Katy and Boot's. Sunshine and cider really is an awful combination, but I carried on and endured them for the team, dont worry. Im a selfless person dont you know......
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