Xmas Traditions

Well, as is everyone else that celebrates Christmas, I am in the planning stages.  I have most of the kids presents bought, and only a few of the adults left to buy for.  Cooking and menu planning is now the next big task.  Not being an avid cook I am a little reluctant to do anything about that yet.  However I want to get my groceries delivered as one of my few hates in life is grocery shopping in the busy season.  Two kids and a 7 month bump do not make for a pleasant shopping experience.

For some reason though today the family braved our local Shopping Centre, which is a very popular one.  It was actually a remarkably pleasant experience.  I spied something today whilst looking around that reminded me of one of our family traditions, or more exactly, one of my Dad's family traditions.

Now my Dad is a wonderful man, but an typical male.  Usually he will get me to buy Mum's present for him, or if I am unavailable, it is the same brand of perfume every year.  Not that Mum is complaining about that I might add.  Needless to say, just like it is in my house, Mum always and has always done all the Christmas shopping.  But one thing that Dad used to always do when I was primary school age was buy me a present just from him.  Every year it was the same thing.... you guessed it - Perfume, and it was always a cheap brand.  At the time I didn't appreciate the thoughtfulness, but now I remember that tradition with fond memories.

So, I am now trying to encourage my husband to take up that little family tradition with my daughter (hopefully she is a little more grateful then I was).  However fair is fair, and he will have to think of something for our son now - but that is his job. 

By the way, I am sure I am getting the same brand of perfume my husband gave me last year......  Must be a man thing.

Jen & Row

www.shimi.com.au

Christmas Cheer

Christmas is approaching way to quickly for my liking.  Being quite pregnant, my family are traveling to me this year, so it will be a full house especially on Christmas day when my husbands family will be joining us as well.  Luckily I have clued everyone up to look forward to a very easy Christmas food wise as the last thing I want to be doing is cooking all day.

In saying that the kids and I will be having some cooking marathons prior to Christmas.  Instead of buying presents for the Grandads, they will have a variety of fudge to look forward to which I am sure they will appreciate much more then some trinket or book and t-shirt that is just going to sit in their cupboard.  I love giving presents, but I have always been of the opinion that it is not about the amount spent on the present but the thought that goes into it.  I find a handmade card and a necklace my kids have made me far more meaningful than a cheap bag made of vinyl (not naming any names, luckily that person is not in the least  bit interested in my blog, so I can keep up the pretense of just using it when said person is in town). 

Anyway, along with cooking days to fill up the holiday we are going into Christmas craft mode.  After years of working 60 hour weeks, and then having young children who aren't really at the stage of being able to spend long amounts of time doing craft, I am excited this year to get them making Christmassy things.  First on the list is two big canvases that I am going to let my munchkins go wild on.  I am going to paint them first - one red, one green and then it is all up to them.  I got the idea from a visit to the kindy my son will be attending next year.  On the wall was the most amazing painting of an angel.  She was gorgeous, with one eye at the top of her head and the other near her mouth, and a very wobbly smile, but the room feel in love with her and it was the essence of Christmas.

Unlike my possibly unlikely flower garden promise of maybe posting photos - I will be posting photos of my children's grand designs.