A Very Oh Darling ChristmasIn New Zealand Christmas is a two-day affair. The 25th is presents and family and food and movies. The 26th (aka
Boxing Day) is family and left overs and outdoor antics.
Sometimes, for the brave, or fool hardy, it involves the Boxing Day Sales (it is no Thanksgiving Black Friday but we do our best).
This year our little family was missing a sister. She is all bundled up in London and we arranged to speak at 8 her time, 9 our time. Poor little Skype was overloaded and the video refused to work. Instead we had to describe everything in minute detail while she pretended to listen. It was exhausting.
If you never hear from me again it is because I posted this photo of my darling sister Jayne.
She should, however, know by now what she is getting into when I have a camera in my hands.
And besides! She can't look absolutely stunning every second of every day. It's just not fair!
Daddy-dear opening the gorgeous briefcase that was his main present.
It's the same one that Mark Sainsbury has. He purchased his scant minutes before we did.
Craig and I had calendars printed for our friends and family.
(You can see the photos chosen, in the order printed HERE)
Pohutukawa & Gauguin Roses.
A centrepiece by Mummy-Darling.And that? that is all the photos I took for hours on christmas day.
You can't see how we received several pairs of pants, how I received a Bad vs Worse handbook (which would be worse to notice on your dentist's hand: a flesh-eating bacteria or leprosy? Hee!) a pink-flowered-disposable-candelabra (cardboard!), and prettypretty earrings. A darling-apron & Hepburn-esque sunglasses. How Craig received three different tee-shirts and a waistcoat and decided to wear them all at once. How Craig decided it was wise to give me a pink tool kit. Hmm.
(I would link to my father's photos but he doesn't believe in flattering photos or flickr sets)
We visited my ailing Grandmother, I wore a really cute dress and my cousins came to our place to bounce around but I don't have photos of that either. And if there aren't photographs then IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
A Quiet Christmas Dinner
In Absentia
And Christmas day closed with us lying around, completely sated, watching the traditional Christmas Movie, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
Well, not exactly traditional.
A Very Darling Boxing DayThe 26th December dawned early for this sales-bunny. I was up and out of the house by 8:30am so I could walk down to the mall and arrive justjust after it opened. If I'm going to brave the Boxing Day Sales then I'm going to do it as early and as quickly as possible.
Fuchsia Hydrangeas. Feeding my obsession.
Thanks to being horrendously early, the mall was not too busy.
I rushrushrushed around gathering goodies (a karma ring (from my in laws), a lace skirt from my mummy & daddy, a book, and seasalt hairspray) and by the time I was done, an hour and a half later, it was almost unbearable.
Finally? (I'm exhausted right now) we attended the traditional Boxing Day family Barbecue. Only this time we all hung out at a location from Lord of the Rings. As you do.
Rivendell
My Darling-Husband holding my rings (the open circle? that's my karma ring!).
I seemed to have a thing for feet*.
Craig was sick of holding my rings. And no, I am not nice to my feet.
*Ew! Not like that.
By the end of the day we were one of the last families at the creek.
Just like that, exhausted, heavier, not sunburned (victory! 70 spf wins!), and very happy, ends another Darling Christmas.
