It’s been nine years since we’ve had Christmas in our hometown of Sydney. It’s exciting to be able to do the family thing, not to lug presents everywhere. And to be ready to start planning a beautiful Christmas lunch. Who knew normality could feel so good?
I know it’s a little early; you could even say I’m a little over-excited, but yes, the Christmas tree is up ( and it smells oh so good), the Christmas movies have started (I know, I know, cringe-worthy) and the Advent calendar is well on its way.
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We are coming home for Christmas this year.
This season always makes me smile; even now that the kids are no longer little, it’s still a unique and exciting time. Sure, no more cookies are left out for Santa and his reindeer, but there is still plenty of hype on Christmas Eve.
As an expat, Christmas is a little different, they are usually spent in your host country surrounded by your expat family, celebrated somewhere exotic with your immediate family, or you tend to head to your motherland. For us, the opportunity to head home hasn’t been easy over the past ten or so years. We haven’t made it home due to either work commitments or other restraints that have not worked in our favour. So we are well overdue for it this year.
This year is made even more special as our helper will be coming for Christmas along with our dog. We have chosen to send our pooch home as she is getting old, hoping this will be her final destination. We are also super excited to celebrate with close family and friends; it is a pretty exciting time, with a little Aussie beach trip between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve also thrown in!
Santa’s photo has been booked (much to the kids’ displeasure), and the planning for Christmas Day has begun. We may not be reaching for mulled wine and mince pies by the fire, but champagne and prawn cocktails in the summer sun aren’t such a bad alternative either.
The next stop was the giant Christmas tree and Myer and DJ’s beautiful window displays, along with the obligatory trip to the Christmas lights in our area. So Carols by Candlelight, here we come. This Aussie family will tick all Aussie Christmas experiences off their list that most take for granted.
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