Chrissie Eve

I had a list a mile long of things I wanted to make for Christmas this year - not just gifts but decorations and edible delights as well. December seemed to disappear on me and I found myself here, on Christmas eve, managing to finish but a single crafty project - Christmas stockings for the girls. Not quite the colourful patchwork heirlooms I had in mind but a fine result nonetheless with op-shopped and scrap fabric. Just don't look too closely inside at all the unfinished edges! I'm sure Santa won't mind.

And, starting at about 8am this morning, we baked up a storm. First, a trio of rocky roads to give to our family as gifts. After halving marshmallows with her plastic knife, Lola begged to lick the chocolate spoons. Not a bad treat at breakfast time, if you ask me.

Then there was choc-chip shortbread and vanilla snap cookies. And finally, a flourless orange and almond cake which we'll enjoy for dessert after our big lunch tomorrow. The fridge is heaving with the glorious free-range ham, prawns and whole ocean trout that the Garbageman collected in his travels this morning. 

And my beautiful Lola is sleeping for the third night in a row without her precious dummy. I am just about as proud as could be at how well she has handled it. After the first night, she ran in to my bed and said with such excitement, "Mummy, I slept the whole night without my dummy." She asked for it the second night, but I think the fact she actually handed it to 'Santa' made it easier for her to understand that it wasn't coming back. And tonight she was just so excited about Santa coming, I don't think she really thought about it. We did spin a fairly elaborate tale about Santa needing to collect all the big girls' dummies so he could give them to the new babies on Christmas Eve. She thinks hers is going to a baby in Spain, for some reason. Bless.

Lola in the festive Christmas hat she made all on her own. All class.

I've wrapped a gazillion presents, sang along to the carols on TV and, for the first time in years, it really feels like Christmas. I won't be with any of my own people this year but I suppose this is the time in my life where it becomes about my own little family. Merry Christmas, little ones. Merry Christmas, Mr Garbageman. I love you so xx