Lightening Online

It’s been like Christmas around here this week with all sorts of parcels arriving in the post. We only get the mail once or twice a week but every time we’ve picked it up lately there have been parcels, parcels and more parcels!!!! Some things that I’ve ordered for gifts but also PRESENTS for me.

And guess what? PRESENTS make me smile. A LOT!!!!

I used to think that made me materialistic but now I understand that it’s one of my primary love languages. I enjoy GIVING gifts and I’m learning to enjoy receiving them (once upon a time I didn’t feel “worthy” to receive gifts).

One of the things I’m really enjoying through my online presence is participating in Secret Santa style swaps. I was involved in 2 this year and BOTH of them arrived this week.

The first was from my Aussie Bloggers Secret Office Santa:

Aren’t they beautiful? Thank you to whoever my Secret Santa was (I’m yet to find out - wonder if I ever will).

I also sent something pink as my gift to another Aussie Blogger (wonder if they read my blog and will get this hint?)

The other Secret Santa I participated in this year (as I also did last year) was as part of the Simple Savings forum. They set a limit of $5 and I enjoy the challenge of finding things to send to someone that are under that limit.

I haven’t had a chance to photograph what I got but it was a lovely Christmas handtowel, some soap, a couple of tree decorations and a penguin pin.

Also in the mail this week were a Beauty and Lace bag of goodies and a box of a new product I’ve been sent to try and to tell you about. More on that once I’ve had time to try them. The look rather interesting though.

With all the Christmas parties and concerts and so on that we’ve had this week, I think Christmas has well and truly arrived!!! As I write this (Friday night), Farmboy and the children are out at our local Christmas Tree event. So the kids will receive their first present from Santa tonight.

This weekend is a busy one. We have a wedding AND a birthday party on Saturday and then a Sunday School Christmas break-up (which I was responsible for buying and wrapping 50 gifts for - what fun!!!) and the kids are then performing at the town Christmas Carols so it’s going to be a rather busy weekend (which is why I’m home as I write this instead of out).

I hope you’re finding time in the busy-ness of the season to smile.

Happy Smiley Saturday everyone!

Since we have lived in this house, we’ve had a tradition of displaying a Santa in our front paddock. Santa is always a hit with the school bus kids, neighbours and passers by. So, over the weekend, Santa once again mysteriously appeared in our front paddock.

Each year we try to do something different with Santa. The first year he sat on an old Bulldog tractor. The next it was an old Fire Truck and last year he did the “Aussie” thing, waving from his deck chair with a cold drink in his hand.

After 3 years, poor old Santa was looking a little worse for wear. So, first task this year was to give him a fresh, new suit.

Then the fun part, a ride with Santa on the back of the ute:

I think Lleyton would like to do a cricket playing Santa next.

And this year, we have a truly Aussie Santa once again:

Santa Up A Gum Tree!!!!

Ho, Ho, Ho….. Merry Christmas!!!!

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE Christmas????

The Christmas Season in our home is heralded by the Credit Union Christmas Pageant in Adelaide (and the subsequent arrival of Santa as part of that parade). When I was a child, it was a tradition to watch the pageant on TV in the morning and then put the Christmas Tree up that afternoon.

We started this tradition with our own children but the past couple of years we’ve put it off until after Trailer Boys birthday (which is December 1st). This year the kids were asking, so we decided to put it up Sunday (a week after the pageant but earlier than December).

I guess this means for us, the Christmas season has started. You can’t have too much of a good thing right?

The kids were SO excited and did lots of dancing around the lounge room during the tree decorating and afterward.

Here is Farmboy putting the tree together while the kids watch:

I remember as a child how loooonngggg it felt waiting during this part. All you want to do is get started with the fun bit - the decorating!

And here we are a decorating:

Once upon a time I had a more “magazine-ready” tree. Colour co-ordinated and perfectly balanced. These days we have a very “kid-decorated” look to the tree, complete with all sorts of home-made decorations. I will admit that it took a bit of an effort to step back and let them do it “their way”. They won’t be young for long and I want to enjoy this part of Christmas while we have them. There’ll be time for “perfect” Christmas Trees later (although I think I’ll keep the hand-made decorations).

And of course, the finished product:

Yes, we already have presents underneath. Aunty Santa has already been. I had lots of fun shopping for my nieces and nephews this year. We’ve already done presents with family on the East Coast but the rest of the gifts were languishing in the office. So I was pleased to get the tree up and have somewhere to put them. It feels good to have this part of Christmas sorted, wrapped and ready to go.

Want a sneak peak at what’s inside these presents? Here you go (any sister in law’s reading this might want to look away now if you want to keep it a surprise):

I bought all of these presents from the kindy toy fundraising catalogues. It made life so much easier and I really enjoyed browsing through the 4 catalogues I had looking for something that would be suitable. I tend to be a bit of a “perfectionist” when it comes to gifts - always wanting to get the perfect thing with the perfect “wow” factor. I’m trying to be realistic in that it isn’t really possible. If I can’t always get it right for my own children, how can I expect to get it right every time for my nieces and nephews? Anyway, I REALLY hope they like what I’ve chosen (and yeah, I did go a teeny bit over budget this year on some of them - but I had so much fun that I’m sure that counts for something!!!).

Now, I’ll leave you with a final shot of my little “santa”:

He’s so excited about the tree and Christmas and starting school visits and his upcoming 5th birthday (complete with pirate party if mum manages to get it organised). Life is good when you’re an “almost 5 year old”.

Anyone else got there tree up yet???

Ho, Ho, Ho…..

Some time ago I agreed to participate in a round the world envelope race. This race is all about raising awareness of the humble envelope. I want to post on the race in more detail in another post so I won’t say anything more now but I will say that it is an exciting thing for me to be involved in and it surely made me smile when the envelope arrived yesterday. As someone who is a big advocate of the value of printed mail (as opposed to only digital mail), I’ve really appreciated the opportunity to be involved.

This morning, my children are having a great time watching the Christmas Pageant. I remember growing up with the pageant as a child and it heralding the beginning of the Christmas season. Some people prefer to wait until December to think about Christmas but as a huge Christmas advocate (it really is the most wonderful time of the year, right? ), I like to stretch is out as long as possible.

Christmas and real life touchable mail. Two of my favourite things.

And this year I want to combine the two in a simple gesture to my blog readers. I want to send out Christmas Cards to any of you who are happy to share your address with me.

I know privacy is an issue on the internet and I understand if you’re not comfortable giving me your real name and address. But for those of you who are, simply fill in the contact form below and I’ll send you a simple Christmas greeting via “real” mail. All details will be destroyed as soon as the mail is sent and will not be shared with another soul.

cforms contact form by delicious:days

I hope a card in the mail from me will make you smile!
Happy Smiley Saturday!!!