Christmas

I don't think I have any Great Expectations about Christmas. There has not be one during my entire life that has turned out just how I wanted it too.

I was brought up in Hurstville New South Wales in the 1950's and I don't believe Christmas was big with adults. I never saw a house in the neighbourhood with Christmas decorations in the yard or on the outside of the house.

My parents never had a tree nor did they decorate the house. Mum sat the Chrismas cards on the mantal over the fireplace and that was it.

Auntie Josie had neither decoratioms nor tree (though she was a single woman)but she did spend a whole day in October making the Christmas cake. I remember helping her one year and getting excited about the sixpences she was putting in the cake. I ended up with two that year.

I don't remember Anne's family having Christmas decorations either. But there was one house my parent's visited in King's Cross that did have a Christmas tree! I only had ever seen them in the store up till then.

I did get to see Santa one year I remember sitting on his lap, but I don't think Mum paid for a photo of it as I don't recall seeing one of the occassion.

So where did I get my love of Christmas from? Unknown. But I like to decorate the house have a tree and put the cards on display. Though for the last ten years it has been at Cliff's house which is where we usually spend Christmas.

I guess my best Christmas was 2004 when my daughter gave birth to a healthy little girl Jasmine Cook on Christmas Eve.

My worse was 2006 when I had to stay in the Mildura Base Hospital from the 24th December to the 28th December and all I could have for Christmas day was sucking on ice! But even that was not all bad as I avoided having to spend time with Cliff's sister in law. She is too over the top for my taste. She tries to run Christmas like a military operation and of course it doens't work. Naturally I was her fly in the preparations for last year.

My Christmases always have minor hitches. like this year Kim (my ex step daughter and her children couldn't come beacuse Kim was cooking.) Kathleen and her lot got held up at Nathan's Nan's and arrived at 3 p.m. instead of 2 p.m. While Donald's kids had to be returned at 2.30 p.m. so missed seeing their cousins on Christams day.

Audrey Cliff's mum was down from Mildura and she had wanted an Aussie Christmas with the kids playing outdoor games. But with the deluge we had every day for a week prior to Christmas the lawn could not be cut and it was still damp and the day itself was not all that sunny. Audrey had gone out and spend close to $50 on toys for the kids to play with. So I feel confident in saying she did not get the Christmas she had been looking forward to.

But we all muddled through and a good time was had by all with plenty to eat and drink!!!