December in our house!!!

We have such wonderful Christmas celebrations with traditions that keep rolling on every year.  Sometimes it's hard to be motivated to carry out these traditions but the girls love them!! And Christmas wouldn't be the same.........

We started with Christmas Tree shopping on 2nd December.  Which was rather a quick affair as it was about to pour down with rain............. So wasn't the usual middle of the range tree, ended up being at the higher end of the budget.

Then home to decorate it!! With christmas carols blasting.
Although there wasn't much festive atmosphere going on.  The girls needed to be coaxed, encouraged and nearly forced to help decorate it.  But we got there in the end.

Ever since the girls were little we always made gingerbread men when school finished.  We used to have the whole dining table covered in coloured icing and lollies, raisins, sprinkles etc for decorations and a great big sticky mess.  As the girls have grown we have mixed it up a little.  Last year we made a shortbread christmas tree..

.This year we made home made chocolates which we boxed up in little white boxes and red ribbon and gave away, after taste testing of course.

 

Then on the 5th December my gorgeous little nephew Jesse Budd arrived safely at home and had the very special privilege of being at his birth.  (A nice treat amongst all the festivities)

And on the 8th of December is my birthday!!! My husband packed up a very yummy picnic and took us to Hamilton Gardens on a gorgeous sunny day!

And we always try to check out some Christmas lights each year.  Either at the Mormon Temple or driving the streets.  But again as the girls have got older the interest in christmas lights is slowly being lost.  So we borrowed 3 year old twin girls to help us appreciate the beauty of colourful lights! Because they certainly enjoyed running around the streets 'ooooing and aaaaaahing' over them.

And of course the wrapping of the gifts!! We went for the brown paper and twine look this year.  Not only more economical it looked great too!

The next great event on the calendar is my husbands family Christmas!! He is the oldest of 10 children so it is rather a large gathering but we book it long in advance to make sure everyone can make it.  This year it was a bit later in the month because one of the brothers was returning from Australia.  We traditionally have a big cooked brunch (this year was, pancakes with bacon, bananas and maple syrup or pancakes with berries, ice cream and chocolate sauce) and when one of the in-laws is a trained chef you know the food is gonna be good!!!  Then Grandma santa comes with her huge santa sack and makes all the grandchildren very happy indeed!

Then we do the present game...... all the 15 year olds and up bring a $20 gift that is put in the middle and the order or opening is drawn from a hat.  The game can get a little heated when someone tries to steal a much wanted gift.  But always lots of laughter had!!

After picking at snacks and drinks all day we bring out dessert at dinner time! And that's the way the Johnston Christmas rolls!

Then Christmas Eve comes around with it's own traditions...........

We have always since the girls were babies, let them open a gift on Christmas eve (when they were little it was a surprise every year, but now they now exactly what it's going to be)  We buy them summer pj's every year for them to rug up into in anticipation for Christmas day.  Along with present opening we dish up some yummy treats and sparkling grape juice and talk about the year gone by and give thanks for all the blessings we have received.  It's always fun remembering all the good times had.  And we re'read the Christmas story from the Bible to keep at the fore-front of our minds just what Christmas is all about.

And then on Christmas day we were up early opening presents (which is was special in itself because Mike is usually milking and the girls have always had to wait for him to come home) And then off to Papamoa for my family's christmas.

And of course Bailey was spoilt too!!

We then headed off to Papamoa.  Where we had a nice lunch with way too much food.

And off to the beach for an afternoon swim.  Even though there was a cyclone moving down the coast.  We couldn't go all the way to the beach and NOT go to the BEACH!!!

Somehow we have developed a tradition of all having to wear our party hat from our christmas cracker, and YES we have to listen to all the jokes too!!

And then comes the end of all our Christmas Celebrations.  I am always totally washed out, but it is well worth all the effort to catch up with family and be very well fed!  

And I'm sure the traditions will keep rolling on for more years to come..................