Christmas in our new house (with some recipe suggestions too)

I did tell you we moved right?  We're still in 'The Hills' (not district, Terrey Hills, in Sydney's North East) just around the corner from our old house.  This house has more house and less yard and with the Frills getting older and needing their own space it was a good move.  I do miss that yard though, hubby doesn't miss mowing it!

The move itself was truly chaotic and although we did organise ourselves somewhat (pre-packed a lot in a pod, culled a lot of clothes/toys/kitchenware/linen we didn't need anymore) nothing really prepares you for that big move.  Next time (which hopefully is no time soon!) I think I'll organise packers and unpackers.  The unpacking bit being the bit I needed the most.   I literally just came home from an overseas work trip to paint, move, and unpack a few things before I jetted off again.  Crazy stuff.

In any case 5 months later and I can finally say we're pretty moved in, not many boxes left and most of them are out of sight/not things we use very often.  I'm starting to feel like it's 'our house' rather than 'that place I have to constantly work in' we're starting to enjoy it a bit more.

And Christmas is always a time to make your house into a 'home'.  I thought I'd share with you some of my Christmas knick-knacks.... and a few family snaps I took of our family decorating the tree.  Ahhh I love Christmas, don't you?  It really does make me sit and reflect on life's gifts, not just the Christmas ones!

Now let's start with our tree.  It's enormous. I didn't have much forethought when I bought it at Eloise's first Christmas eight years ago that I might not always live in a Federation styled house with high ceilings.  Ever since we moved only a few Christmases later, it's been touching the roof of our house.  Ooops.  I still love it even though we can't put an angel atop of it, it's made from bristles, not plastic so it's got a really authentic look to it, and feels lovely to touch.

Worthy investment of I think about $300 back in 2004!

Part of the fun is dressing up the dog during the Christmas tree decorating, only for a few minutes to take a pic, he doesn't mind it but I'm sure it's not comfortable.  We also play Christmas Carols or play a Christmas movie like Elf (Oh that's my favourite Christmas movie along with Love, Actually!).

Eloise is now getting tall enough to help put the branches on with Daddy, she loves this bit the most.  As you can see, I haven't completely finished my photo montage in the background.. I'll get there one day!

Laura prefers to sort through the baubles and decorations with Olivia....

Growing up so fast I can hardly believe it!

Whilst the kids get busy sorting out decorations I am putting the Christmas adornments around the house.. there's not many of them but I do love the ones we have.

These are the Nutcracker Babushka dolls, I bought those at Freedom last year.  Very cute, the wooden tree behind I bought at Bed Bath and Table a few years ago.

and adding a bit more red colour to our bookshelf with 'XMAS' not very Christian I realise, but it's cute and as I said, red, I love red, as you can see!

Also at the end of the bookshelf is a our advent calendar, bought this from Adairs I think.  I do remember being so happy to find a red/white one!  this year I've put individual Hershey's kisses in it!

Usually each year our decorations are ice blue, red, white and silver but this year we (ok I...) decided to omit the blue, just thought it would look better in the house.   We also had a drama with our tree lights.. they were soooo tangled I attempted to untangle them for about 15 minutes and decided to get a new set.  I know, lazy!!! But to be fair to me, I had just come off a red-eye flight from Dalian and Shanghai!

We usually buy a new ornament each every year but this year we haven't, we really do have enough.  But they all do carry some sentimental attachment. Some of the decorations on our tree are mine from my own childhood.  I don't know how my Mum parted with them!

I also have the santa/rudolph plates and cups ready!  Plus a few things I picked up at Ikea, hopefully I'll have time to make some gingerbread or local variations Taai Taai or liebkuchen to put in the tins!  I'm definitely making time for my famous orange and cranberry shortbread and my super duper easy Bailey's fudge!  Ooooh what about Crispy Macadamia Rocky Road...? I should have bought more tins!  Argh!

And here's our holly wreath for the front door, an addition from the Christmas shop about five years ago.

Here's my crowd putting on the finishing touches...!

and here it is with the lights going!

 and a few baubles fallen off when the dog decides to sit underneath it... of course!

And here's the spot where I'll be reading many of our Christmas books, latest addition, Selby's Santa (you can get a signed one from Duncan Ball's shop here)  I love this chaise and this was the 'present' I bought for the house when we moved in, not an essential but it's sooo comfy and lovely and the best place to read.

Lastly I put a sprinkling of Christmas in our dining room... just a sprinkling..

I think that's enough right?

What do you think, too much or not enough?  Do you go to town decorating your place or it minimal?

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