Christmas was good, but it could be better
A note to my future self for next year
So that was Christmas, and what have I done? I got this idea from a story written by Maggie Alderson here on Substack. Love her!
As we’ve eaten through the Christmas leftovers, packed away all of the new toys and the house seems almost back to normal, I’m looking back on what worked, and what didn’t. So this is a letter for myself to send to my email on October 1st 2025.
WORK
Last year, in Christmas 2023 I found myself working on Christmas Eve Eve and I resented every minute of it. As I completed technical drawings for a commercial client all I wanted to do was go grocery shopping, bake and tidy the house. I love doing this kind of documentation for this great client yet so close to Christmas it was so tough! This year I was determined not to be working so close up to Christmas and I’m happy to report that I was able to really get into all of the festive things.
Reminder to say no to work deadlines so close to Christmas day.
FAMILY
The best thing about Christmas just gone was catching up with family. I organised a family gathering, which bought together 25 of us. Cousins, Aunties, Uncles and all of these gorgeous little kids. We catch up once a year, or sometimes less. These people are the most generous, grounded, kind and fun humans yet we’re scattered all around Australia. It was a highlight to all get together.
Reminder to organise a date in the calendar for a 2025 family gathering.
FOOD
The highlight for me on Christmas day was cooking with my 12 year old daughter, Indi. Then sitting down at the table and seeing her proud face as we all thanked her for cooking Christmas lunch. She roasted a chicken, baked potatoes and made mini cheeseburgers. I made a delicious fish and fennel pie (make this one again, Mum raves about it). Let’s step it up and try a turkey for the first time.
Skip the mince pies.
The Italian made panetonne IS worth the money. Buy two. You’ll want one for New Years Day breakfast.
Now is the time to prep for making the Christmas pudding. Carry on the tradition and find some shillings to pop into the pudding, just like Nan used to do.
Buy a lasagne for when you don’t feel like cooking on those days between Christmas and New Year.
Reminder to practice cooking Christmas lunch with Indi so that she can handle the most part of cooking on her own - we all win!
HOME
Don’t forget to water the garden!
It’s all fun and games to buy the plants from the nursery that are abundant with flowers, don’t wait until they are half dead to actually plant them in the garden.
It was a good idea to buy the tree a week from Christmas, but you were lucky. It was the very last tree left and it was cutting it a bit too fine. Having said that, the tree has lasted and it still looks good on New Years Eve.
I had planned to decorate the tree in a ‘tasteful’ way but really, who cares? So all of the old decorations went on the tree.
Does it match? No.
But do the kids love it and does it feel good? YES!
That fabric you bought from Spotlight was a winner for a tablecloth! Don’t leave it too late to organise this kind of thing though.
Have a brilliant New Years celebration tonight. I’ll be home, eating cheese and drinking champagne. I hope that you have a fabulous time no matter what you’re up to!
Lauren