A simple Christmas

I have had an amazing Christmas and I am looking forward to the new year.  Christmas was simple but beautiful.  We have built up beautiful traditions as a family and each year these traditions become more and more precious to me.  Family traditions are so important to connect with family members and to build beautiful memories.  

Christmas eve dinner

On Christmas eve we have a special dinner as an immediate family.  We also open a handmade Christmas cracker which has a joke,  balloon, some chocolate and a gift inside. This year I put inside some fancy erasers for the boys,  a key finder for the man in my life (for obvious reasons)  and some silver snowflake earrings for the girls.  Phil bought me a pair of snips.......the best present for a quilter!!

We decorate the table beautifully and use the nice plates and cutlery.  This year we fill agar jars with salt, tea light and fabric to create a Christmas display.

I made beetroot and orange salad,  corned beef and mustard sauce, potato and kumera salad, fresh broccoli and bread pretzels.  We had a banana split for dessert.  I tried a new type of sorbet for the banana split.  It was delicious and a really healthy option.

Sorbet

1. Open a can of sugar free fruit.  We used peaches
2. Drain off the juice
3. Place the fruit in a jug
4. freeze the fruit
5. When it is frozen use a stick blender and blend the peaches until there is no lumps of fruit left
6. Serve as you would ice cream

The nativity story

After the dinner we re-tell the Christmas story from the King James version of the bible and sing lots of Christmas carols.  We dress up in the characters in the story.

After the Christmas carols we have a concert.  Each person in the house performs an item that is chrismassy.  

Each year we also prepare a secret box for a family in our community who need help.  We deliver it secretly.  It is always so much fun to be able to help others.

Christmas morning

Everyone piles on to mum and dad's bed to open their Christmas stockings. We have a beautiful Christmas breakfast.  This year we had fresh fruit, yoghurt, cereal and crumpets. 

Then we unwrap our presents together.  

After all the presents are unwrapped we open our handmade gifts.  Each year we draw a name out of a hat to make a gift for.  I made a boy a skate board back sling and my man made me a coat rack.  I think this is always the nicest present.

I love to celebrate Christmas and to spend time with my family.  It holds such dear memories in my heart.  

I hope your Christmas was as beautiful as mine was.  I hope you have a wonderful new year full of new ideas and new directions and new traditions.  xxx