handcrafted advent calendars made by our beautiful friend Suzanne.
I can't believe it's just 13 days till Christmas eve. Tomorrow, my mommy hops off the plane, all the way from the UK, to join us for a Christmas full of beach walks, ice cream, watermelon and running in the sprinklers. Christmas would be strange to many of you as here in South Africa, while the rest of the world is talking about snow and fireplaces, the only ice we have is in our drinks and the only fire is for braaing (South African BBQ but with real food π).
It's going to be our 3rd Christmas in our home and our 4th one together as the MobeyLudicks. Our anniversary works very wierdly, as it falls on New years and it makes working out dates all wonky, but I'm really looking forward to this one, even if it's going to be a bit tighter than usual.
You know what, actually, every year has been tight, and we always make it work. I don't see why this year will be any different. We had VERY little growing up, but my mom spent so much time on the special stuff with us, like visiting the enormous Christmas display at our version of Harrods, which was Stuterfords or Garlicks back in the day, or we'd make our own Christmas decorations or concentrate on choreographing a concert for the elderly that my mom committed her life to looking after.
It didn't matter that there weren't hundreds of presents under the tree. We were taught to save our money and buy sentimental things rather than rubbish. Otherwise, we made things for each other. I used to be very good at making dream catchers at one stage. Perhaps I should get back into that?
Mommy, alone in the UK last Christmas :(
I'm more excited than any year before, to have my mom come home for Christmas. She missed last year as she immigrated to the UK for the 3rd time in her life. Between then and now, my father passed away, and the reality has really sunk in that our time together on this earth is limited, and I intend to make this Christmas very special. No matter what it takes (even if I have to stuff the turkey with Xanaxππ - I am only half joking...).
There will be people missing from the table this year, and we'll think of them, but we need to celebrate each other while we still can, and although @zakludick and I plan to have decades worth of Christmases, our own children are growing up. We're running out of years to make it magical for them.
But then again, here I am at 38, knowing that my mom will make me feel like a kid on Christmas morning, and that... gives me so much joy and hope for all the Christmases to come <3
Watch this space for Christmas delights coming your way! Biscuits, desserts, and roasts! That is, of course, if we can get the stupid oven working, otherwise, I think we'd better just all go out for lunch! Although taking the work out of it is sincerely tempting, it also takes the fun ( and a week's worth of leftovers) away. So 1st prize? Is a Christmas feast from heaven!
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The questions that really matter now are cheesecake or trifle? gammon or pork belly? Turducken or bacon-drunk chicken? HMMMMM
we shall see!
