Breaking the habit of a lifetime

UP until today, I have been what could be considered as "moderately laid back" in my festive planning.

So, in a vain attempt to put myself around before the Big Fella visits, I've been speaking with a neighbour, friend and fellow mum-from-school and have taken the first steps into organising a bit of a do on Christmas Eve.

Granted, people have stuff to do, so we've decided to open up the house for a wine or two on the night before Christmas just purely to catch up and spend time with eachother on our new decking area. Just an hour or two. Promise. That's all I'll need to touch base with everyone before the big day.

To be honest, with just days to go 'til the big event, I'm still more than unprepared for it. I'd like to have champagne and strawberries in bed while the children tear the wrappings off their gifts, then, when calm is restored, we plan on heading down to the beach for a quick dip in the ocean to build up an appetite for the festive feast. All traditional of course. With sprouts, and turkey and veggies galore.

But before that, I have to get my head around the annual Christmas tree purchase. Each and every year until now, I've always got my own way by insisting on a real tree. Not sure why. Just one of those things that I'm hell-bent on. So, this year shouldn't be any different. Until I heard the stories about all things green and real.

We were just about ready to part with our $50 when we spotted a friend in the distance and had a chat. He's been out here for a few years and went on to tell us they also went all out with tradition on their first festive season with a real tree. But never again he said. Especially after wrestling with the over-sized and cumbersome branches to get a few baubles on, then having to pick all the needles up after they dropped all over the floor within minutes of being dressed and last but by no means least... the way the spiders crawl out of them once they're inside and looking pretty.

Not being ready to have Redbacks as part of my overall colour scheme, we grabbed a more than understated plastic variety cashing in at a whopping $11.90 (!!!) and now have the task of trying to make it look as grand as my elaborate arboreal predecessors.

But until we have the house exactly how we want it, I'm really not fussed this year. As long as the boys enjoy putting it all together and there's plenty of gifts beneath it, that's fine in my Christmas book.

So, having broke the back of the shopping today, all's that's left is to work a few shifts to pay for it all, before the boys break up for their 7-week summer holidays from school and dream about a laid back festive season in the sun.