One of the most important tasks for me a day or two before Christmas is to gather greenery from the garden and woodland. This arrangement consists of ochna, evergreen, and flowers from arrowroot, parsley and fennel!! Plus just a few artificial red berries that I wired to the plant stems.
I bought a new (well, secondhand) Christmas tree at a garage sale back in June, and had fun decorating it.
Love our Christmas Nativity Crib - a collection of ornaments we have added to over the years.
My Christmas doves have actually hung above the fireplace all year long - but I did give them a gentle wash.
On Christmas Eve I sat and watched the Carols by Candlelight in the Myer Music Bowl, while waiting up to go to the Midnight Service at the Chapel.
A few last minute gifts had to be wrapped.
The Christmas Eve Service at St Barnabas is one of the highlights of Christmas for me. Such a lovely feeling of wonder and anticipation.
Our Christmas morning gift exchange ritual is always such fun. It is so good to have Miriam and the girls here to share in it all again.
This Ruby's third Christmas. She loves having the girls here too.
Ed was not exactly sparking on all fours after a very late night.....
But he managed to join in the spirit of ity all...
While Digby slept in his lap....
This Charlene's very first Christmas with us.
Later in the morning Tom called in and shared a drink with us. Digby adores Tom!
There were 16 of us for lunch, and lots of good things to eat. With those numbers, it just has to be buffett style!
So good to have my sister Sally and Roy with us this year.
Reading the jokes in the crackers is something of a Christian-Bailey ritual - but the jokes are not usually the ones written on the paper!!!
Christmas pudding and trifle - YUM!!!
The party is starting to get lively!
Then there was a second present opening session with the Lyles and the McRitchies.
Teddy became engrossed in his book about the Vikings.
That evening there was another gathering up in the Nakamal, which was all decorated for the season.
Young Alexon (just 2)really had the Christmas spirit!
Cristina brought her facepaints to add to the fun.
It had been a long day, but definitely the best day of the year!
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