Christmas Is... {2015 Version}

Christmas Is......

Trees
Christmas Books
Advent Calendars
Candles
City Parade
Christmas Pillowcases
Sleeping Under the Christmas Tree
Fruit and Toblerone Dip Christmas morning {going on 17 years now}
Grandparents Christmas Dinner
Family
Lights
Nativity
Christmas Eve Activity {Iceskating this year! No crowds at all!}

I hope everyone else had a blessed and wonderful Christmas. Now to wait for next year.

Grandparents Christmas Dinner 2015

Our famous Grandparents Christmas Dinner. This season has been so full and busy - holidays, Christmas Joy to the World, Christmas Parties, Late Late Evenings, work etc and with one set of Grandparents on a mission it almost felt like it wouldn't happen. Sacrilege according to the kids.
I love that they love this tradition too.
With an injured MR and me off at work I was happy that it all pulled together in a day.
We used the questions from our Advent Calendar to spark some dinner discussions.

Menu:
Steamed Dumplings with Sweet Chilli Sauce
Turkey with Cherry Compote, Sauted vegetables and Baked Sweet Potato
Baked Cheesecake and Brandy Snaps with Mango and Cherries.

Previous Grandparents Christmas Dinner  Here:

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

I also love that {Great} Grandma's vintage gift tags live on. I think of her every year when a gift is received with them. Apparently there are plenty more years worth of gift tags :)

Christmas Pillowcases {A tradition}

We made these back in November, so I'm late in posting.

 I'm really only sharing because the woodland pillow is just too darn cute.

This year I didn't let my kids go on a shopping trip and choose fabric. We were just too busy and I had 4 fabrics left over from last year and bought as sales throughout the year. So I made them choose. Miss 6 declared she only ever wants her very pink candy cane and gingerbread men cases from past years. So this year she didn't get one. She's had the candy cane out most of the year anyway! 

^^ We mustn't have sewn anything this year as they were apprehensive! Back to practicing! 

^^ I love the woodland but the penguin one is great too.

Here is a past pillowcase tutorial I made if you want to make your own

Need:
just under 1 metre of christmas material per pillowcase
Sewing machine and cotton


Use an existing pillowcase to use as a guide. I folded my material in half and then laid the pillowcase on top. I then cut around the pillowcase {leaving 2cm border for sewing} and having a 15cm extra on the top {which will be the 'flap' that keeps the pillow inside}

After cutting around the guide pillowcase you will now have two pieces of material. 

I trim one so it is shorter than the other. The longer piece forms the flap. 

Hem the top of shorter piece with a fat hem {around 4-5 cm}
Hem the top of the longer piece with a small hem {around 1cm}
I hem by just folding the material over twice to capture the raw edges.

 

So now you will have two pieces of fabric that have only the top {short edge} hemmed.

Place material pieces together right sides facing inwards

Then fold the longer piece over the shorter piece so its like an envelope

 

 

 

Now straight stitch around three of the sides of the pillowcase. NOT where the flap is!
Then zig zag around the same three sides to prevent fraying. 
If you have an overlocker... do it in that!!

And now you are done and you turn the pillowcase back right sides out!! 

Beautiful!!

Your first pillowcase will probably take a little while to work out...
but once you've done it a few times you can make these things in 10 mins! 
very easy to sew and satisfying to make.

and soon enough you'll have a big pile like me.


and lots of wonderful Christmas Dreams.......


now I think I need to make me one to rest my head on!

***

Want to see our past material choices?

2013   2012   2011   2010   2009   2008

Christmas Photo Shoot.

Ever since I started reading blogs I've always wanted a Christmas photo shoot for cards or whatever.

Then I realised how hard it is to happen and to arrange a photographer, clothes, cost etc ha.


I was so happy this year when a cute wonderful photographer friend made it happen for us.
Check out Amy Steed Photography

It was a stormy day sans a beautiful sunset :( and just after I'd spent time doing everyones hair when we arrived at the place a massive wind blew up. There went our hair. I was so afraid our photos would be of us sideways! Luckily when we arrived at our destination after a 30 min walk the wind had died down, but sadly left us a little disheveled - but hey isnt that what we look like all the time?!?

I also had grand visions of hanging ornaments in trees and prop design. But the trees were too tall.
And to drag the props all the way out there.... I gave up. So instead here we are in our cuteness.

Now to turn one into a Christmas card.

Thank you so much Amy for making a dream come true!

Our Hill {17 years}

Late November ~ its that time of year again.

The time we go to the place The Mr proposed and have a family picnic.

Apparently we've taken pizza up there a few too many times as now one daughter declared that we must have pizza as that is the tradition!? and wouldn't accept any other alternative!!

This year was extra exciting as we had been keeping a secret from the kids.

They have never been on a plane or out of the state and sometimes like to remind us of this fact compared to all their well traveled friends.

For 6 months we had kept secret a holiday to Tasmania.

We decided to tell them up on the hill. That the next day they were leaving on a jet plane.

I was going to video it thinking they will be so excited - it will be crazy funny.

Lucky I didn't as they just went whaaaa? and didn't look excited at all.

They actually thought Daddy was tricking them and were all like 'whatever' shrug...

But once it all sunk in {like minutes and hours later} they were very happy.


Things like" I cant believe I'm going on a plane. All those years I've looked at planes and thought one day, one day that can be me, and one child just randomly squealing every 10 mins for the next day.

They already have good memories of our hill. I hope this just added more.

17 years and counting.

Other visits to our hill here:  2013  2012  2011  2010  2008

Christmas Books {Family Tradition}

We already have our Christmas books out and are reading them.
We have a tradition to read a Christmas book each night in December.

The last year or two my older girls haven't really been as interested {thats ok. They are growing up} so I've mainly read to my younger two children.

However this year I was so happy when they came and gathered round and joined in.
It's happened a couple times now and my heart just melted.

I haven't bothered to wrap our books this year {previously been wrapped with wrapping paper, then painted newspaper (so it wouldn't feel so wasteful) to our fabric Christmas bags/pillowcases, last year all in a basket under the tree.} This year they are all just on one shelf next to our nativity sets. Though I do like this idea : books as trees or stack like a christmas tree



Here our some of our favourite books

Christmas on Exeter Street

Christmas in Noisy Village

Mr Willowby's Christmas Tree

Christmas in Big Woods {Little house on the Prairie}

Once there was a Christmas Tree

Christmas Trolls

Madeline's Christmas

SantaSaurus

The Little Fir Tree

Eloise at Christmastime

Christmas Cobwebs

Berenstain Bears Christmas Tree

The Night before Christmas

12 Days of Christmas

The Christmas Wish

Nativity Books


I usually order at sales or mid year. I try to only limit myself to 2-4 christmas books each year.
Most of these books can't be found in stores here so I use Book depository with free shipping.

Happy Reading! Oh how I LOVE Christmas illustrations.

What is your favourite Christmas book recommendation?

Advent

^^ This years incarnation of our Advent Wreath

Advent usually starts the last Sunday in November.{4 Sundays out from Christmas}

My kids love the weekly burning of the candles... but I think they humour me on the devotional and singing hymns part. I used this book (I bought it but I see its free online!) last year for daily advents but think I might opt for this easier to remember one.

So if you would like to celebrate a more spiritual Christmas I find Advent helps me out.


You need:
4 Candles { I hoping to make something like this one this year}
A ring/wreath {optional or make it out of a paper plate}
Chosen carols 
Devotional


Each Sunday we light one of the candles {progressing to 2 the next week then 3 and lastly 4}. 
Advent means 'coming or arrival' so we light the candles in anticipation of celebrating the coming birth of Christ.


Week ONE is the Good NEWS candle
Explain the prophets of old told of the coming of christ.
(choose any scripture/s you like eg Isaiah 9:6)


Week TWO is the HOPE candle
Jesus gave hope to people that God still loved and cared for them. 
The angles told the good news that Jesus had come (Luke 2:8-11)


Week THREE is the JOY candle
When the shepherds heard the good news they rejoiced and went to tell others (Luke 2:15-20)


Week FOUR is the LOVE candle
God shows his love through Jesus Christ. His Son and helps us to show love to others
(John 3:16)


You can add as little or as much information, scriptures, hymns to these four topics.
Search your own scriptures to match. I'd also love to do a more involved one for myself and The Mr.


See here for Previous Advent Ideas I've tried
Advent how to 2008  and 2010