And that’s a wrap – Christmas is done and dusted for another year!
You may have seen pics of the Middle Aged Family on social media, looking ‘picture perfect’ – but what was happening behind the scenes?!
Christmas Confession #1
I didn’t send a single Christmas card this year. How times have changed!
Christmas Confession #2
I had a mini stress attack on Christmas Eve, as I waited for the husbear to complete our Christmas gift shopping. There were a couple of gaps still to be filled on our list, things that required his expertise, and by 2pm he was still pottering around doing other stuff (still in his PJs I might add) … anyways, he got the hint and headed out to the shops after that 😉 .
Christmas Confession #2
Even though I always say that we are just going to give the kidults money, we always seem to end up giving them presents. I think it’s my ‘safety/sanity mechanism’ – a way of taking the pressure off myself!
Christmas Confession #3
I’m glad we ended up doing presents because it’s so much fun watching them unwrap them.
Christmas Confession #4
Midst all the hoo-ha leading up to Christmas – getting work completed before the break, attending various festive functions, sorting out the Christmas menu and gifts for family etc – I didn’t even think about the gifts that I might receive …
Christmas Confession #5
… And yet I was completely spoiled 🙂 . My loot included several books and jigsaw puzzles (#nerdalert), as well as a jasmine and sweet pea reed diffuser from Ecoya, a DVD, voucher for a massage, studio selfie light stand, Australian essential oils for my diffuser, a board game, Google Nest mini, wireless mouse … the list seems endless!
Christmas Confessions #6
We slept in til 8am! Oh the joy of being empty-nesters … I remember those 5am starts and feeling like a zombie for the rest of Christmas Day.
Christmas Confession #7
I didn’t have a special Christmas outfit planned this year, and only ended up throwing on a red top (and Santa hat) at the last minute, thinking we might take some family pics.
Christmas Confession #8
The husbear wished he’d thought to put a nicer shirt on, given that we did end up taking lots of pics!
Christmas Confession #9
My table was definitely not ‘instaworthy’, with no fancy place settings or centrepieces but we certainly don’t feel we missed out!
Christmas Confession #10
I’d planned to serve a pavlova (first time ever) and a fruit cake (for the non-pavlova eaters) for dessert on Christmas Day – but we were all too full too even think about it, let alone eat it!
Christmas Confession #11
I’d bought raspberries, strawberries and a tin of cherries to put on top of the pav. Would you believe, I’ve never eaten fresh raspberries before? So while the pavlova didn’t eventuate, the raspberries quickly disappeared. I have a new favourite fruit!!!
Christmas Confession #12
The kids arrived about midday but we were so busy opening gifts and having fun we didn’t eat lunch til about 3.30pm!
Christmas Confession #13
And then we went outside to work off some of the Christmas lunch, by shooting some hoops and blowing bubbles.
Christmas Confession #14
Fleur (#worldsworstcat) didn’t get a Christmas present from Santa (must have been on the naughty list, LOL) …
Christmas Confession #15
But Sophie did, a tiffany blue ribbon to add to her extensive collection!
Christmas Confession #16
The husbear got one of those 3D image books. I have long HATED these, try as I might I can never see the 3D image … but Christmas Day I finally ‘got’ it!!!! (It’s only been about 25 years LOL).
Christmas Confession #17
I may have shed a couple of tears of happiness after the kids had gone home (my cup runneth over). How blessed am I?!
Christmas Confession #18
I realised something momentous in the middle of our Christmas Day: I don’t hate Christmas anymore. Sure, it wasn’t great when I was growing up, but over 30 years have passed since then.
This year marked my 34th Christmas with the husbear, and they’ve been pretty wonderful since then.
In fact I would go so far as to say this was the BEST. CHRISTMAS. EVER.
In a year that’s been full of challenges, I feel very lucky to be able to say that, and am sending my best wishes to you, wherever in the world you may be xxx