A Different Christmas in 2011

Well, my posting has been slack to say the least. No, I haven't disappeared off the planet. Not quite yet. But I've been finding it harder and harder to dedicate time to blogging. Some might say that's a step in the right direction. And indeed, what with my G+ goings on (just look me up on +Ben Adelaide) I've been struggling to work out what it is that I do, or even what I want out of this so-called social media. And I continue to struggle...

In the meantime, I'll post a few moments from our Christmas this year... a very strange Christmas. Expecting a second child is much easier in many ways, but also quite unusual too. It's also the last time L-kun will be the sole centre of attention too. And yes, it wasn't exactly a Japanese Christmas (whatever that means... for instance, not a single KFC in sight).

In the mean-time, we had a great Christmas this year (full of the usual ups - and downs). It started off with a great little party over at our house.... with four of L-kun's favourite friends (and their mothers of course). A great time was had by all, and T-chan had a great idea to make Candy Christmas Trees which all the children loved to make.

L-kun write his first letter to Santa (that had to be express delivered by the Priority Elf Mail... 1 day before Christmas). 

He was so happy the mail was sent, and his Samurai DX Megazord was on it's way. Even if he did need a little help from Mummy and Daddy. It was great that he'd finally been able to settle on just one thing.

We also popped down to the Torrens River Christmas display at the Brewery (of all places)... It was pretty much the same as last year (which you can check out here). Though - to be honest, this year was somehow lacking something. There were quite large crowds there (and unfortunately a car+pedestrian accident just before we arrived which looked quite serious), but the displays lacked a sense of fun. Part of that could have been an over commercialisation (the Jack-In-The-Box had been replaced by a popping out add for one of the major sponsors... a TV station). Still there were still the basics there... the nativity scene mixing it up with Hey Diddle Diddle... only in Adelaide.

But it was a time to be merry, and to think about Christmas. And poor old Santa had a lot of visiting to do...

L-kun decided to offer a few extra wishes to his letter... the wishing well is always there to lend an ear.

Christmas - as I've mentioned - was an uncharacteristic occasion for us... and we don't tend to have traditional Christmassy dinners. Our menu: stuffed mushrooms, meatloaf, fuji-san-styled potato salad and pilaf. [ok... it wasn't supposed to be Fuji-san!... ]

And to finish it all off... a wonderful tribute to Japanese Christmas cakes from my wonderful (and exhausted) wife, T-chan.  Kawaii!

And for that final, final touch... L-kun insisted that we just had to leave cookies and milk out for Santa. Which of course Santa consumed with appropriate gusto (late at night). 

Now as for whether L-kun's letter was answered... well, that's between him and Santa Let's just say that L-kun will still be writing to Santa next year. If he's not totally NAUGHTY (in which case extra measures may need to be put in place).

So, even though this post is decidedly late (and I'm going to have to change my watermark shortly), I hope you all had a great Christmas. This is a special one, as it will soon be a Christmas for 4, rather than 3. The important thing is to find those things that make the day special for you - and make the most of it. And most important of all. Don't let the stress of Christmas get you down.

Merry (belated) Christmas 2011.

PS - it seems to me that this year has been a strange Christmas season all around, and despite media reports suggesting a good retail year, I just don't buy it (literally). The shops seemed mostly normal or even quieter than normal, and no matter how many late night shopping nights they had, it just seemed to be a very, very un-exciting Christmas shopping season. Australia has had it pretty easy coming through the GFC (mark I and now mark II). I suspect that the second and third order effects are only now beginning to make themselves felt here. It's times like these that the meaning of Christmas, and the importance of family and hope are not forgotten. I hope that your Christmas was a good and safe one... Ben