Merry Christmas to all!

I can't believe another Christmas Day has been and almost gone. Time is just disappearing before my eyes. In just under a month I will be 30 and I feel as though I haven't even started to live my life. Hopefully this year that will change!

For Christmas this year it is just Nick, Lexi, and myself at home in Melbourne. You see Nick's family live in Tasmania and mine live in Queensland. Last year we spent Christmas in Tassie and this year we got married here in Melbourne. Most of my family were able to fly down for the wedding and so they decided that we should have a quiet Christmas at home and visit them for Christmas next year.

I have to admit it has felt a bit strange not being around family for Christmas. It's something I'm so used to doing. As a child and throughout my teenage years and even into my early 20's it was tradition to have lunch of prawns, cold meats, and salads at my Nana and Pa's house. The whole of mum's side of the family would get together and everyone would be in charge of bringing something. As I got older I offered to contribute and would usually make some form of salad. Occasionally we would alter tradition slightly to have lunch at another family member's house but the guests were always the same with a few additions here and there. Unfortunately that all changed when my grandparents passed away within about six months of each other. All of a sudden one of my aunts and uncles moved to country Victoria and my other aunt and uncle had other family to spend time with. My brother moved to Sydney to pursue a relationship with his now wife and the two of them would fly up to Queensland for a few days to spend Christmas with us. In April last year I also moved interstate to Melbourne so Christmas has changed quite a bit in recent years. I do plan to keep some tradition alive though so Nick and I will be having fresh prawns, baked ham, roast chicken, and random salads for dinner, followed by a plum pudding that I purchased (because I just don't have the time to cook one of those suckers, as much as I'd love to) with vanilla ice cream and brandy custard. Yum!

Present-wise we kept it fairly light. Having just paid for our wedding, we are trying to save money again. Nick bought me a Sizzix Big Shot so I can now do some die cutting and embossing for my project life and one little word stuff as well as maybe making some cards. I'm trying to figure out the best way to emboss something and then add colour to that. Do you have any hints or tips for me? If so, let me know in the comments below! I bought Nick a daylight crafting lamp that he can use to paint his miniatures with. It helps by simulating day light which makes colours more accurate. It's a nifty little lamp and I might have to borrow it myself from time to time.

Do you have traditions that you love to celebrate? I'd love to hear about them! Share them in the comments below.