Christmas this year was a quiet affair with just me, my parents, my sister and my 90 year old Grandmother. We skyped my brother and sister-in-law in Brisbane, and will see my uncle, aunt and cousin tomorrow. So the actual day was the smallest celebration for many years. It was also the first time in years we didn’t have to blast the air-conditioning all day. The weather was relatively pleasant and breezy for summer. My Dad wore his special red Santa shirt. And once again my Mum had put out this work of art – a nativity scene that I made when I was in Grade 2. It’s survived quite well don’t you think?

Of course the angel is supposed to sit on top of the manger and Mum has confused Joseph with some of the three wise men. One day I will buy her a nice nativity scene….perhaps one that isn’t coloured in with felt pen and has a sheep that doesn’t have cotton wool glued to it’s back. Or maybe I’ll force her to keep using this one. We actually do a kind of swap with tatty Christmas decorations. She sighs and keeps dragging out the nativity scene and I let her keep this freakish blue-eyed animated Santa. I hate it with a passion.

Anyway, I got a new dinner set (white), some lovely earrings and a bracelet, a new beach towel and this piece of nostalgia from my childhood.

The food highlight was the butterfly marinated lamb that my Dad cooked on the Weber and the watermelon, feta and olive salad that I made based on the wonderful 2paw’s recipe. So good it was, that I’m making it again tomorrow for 2nd Christmas.