And it's all over barr the cleaning up!

Like any major celebration, the preparations and planning for Christmas day seem to go on for weeks and then the actual day arrives and departs in what seems like the blink of an eye. I was doing my last minute fruit and vegie shopping on Christmas Eve and I always like to spy on what other shoppers are buying and what behaviours they are exhibiting on the day before Chrissy. It never ceases to amaze me that despite the fact that the shops are shut for only one day, people seem to be overcome with some sort of panic that they may run out of something and will simply not survive without it. I mean afterall, who cannot go a day without pickled herring, or vine leaves soaked in vinegar, or pigs feet in aspic? Never mind that most people would never buy these things as a rule, but come Christmas Eve, it's like they think "well, the shops will be closed tomorrow and I may just need that stuffed sheep intestine in brine to get me through".

As for me, the most exotic thing I attempted to purchase was capers in rock salt, but our local supermarket did not stock these, so I had to settle for capers in vinegar instead. It was for a crust that I made to go on top of some salmon, and I must say, that it was damn delicious.

Christmas day dawned beautifully at our house and because we had some family staying elsewhere, I had to ensure that Tom did not go anywhere near the lounge room, which was by that stage chockers full of presents. We eventually let him loose on the Santa sack, which he thought was just terrific. Biddy also had a decent time of it, pulling things out of her sack, abley helped by daddy.

After the sacks where emptied, we decided that before we opened the rest of the presents, we would let the kids see what was waiting for them outside........

This is Tom's initial reaction............

.............because this is what he saw...................

A swing set and sandpit!!!

Bridie's main present was a little trike that converts from a push stroller to a trike as she grows.

Tom's main present was a big dinosaur that moves and roars (pic to come)

Of course, the day for us is no longer about just Christmas. It is also Bridie's birthday. Mark, Tom and I gave her 2 of those little crystal figurines; a baby's dummy and a small teddy bear. We've decided that each year, we will buy her one to mark her birthday, and it is also something that she can build up a collection of. In amongst all the food that appears at this time of year, I also managed to make a birthday cake and later in the evening when all the extended family was around, we sang 'Happy Birthday'.

As I have said to a number of friends, I simply cannot believe that a year has passed. It seems to have just gone by in the blink of an eye.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIDGET GRACE!