'Tis the Season

December has really snuck up on me this year.

I'm not sure if it is because we've had a fairly stressful time of late, or that I've spent the last little bit in a blur of activity, I just am shocked to find that Christmas is just around the corner. The problem with having the shops being Christmas focussed for SO long beforehand is that for me at least, a lot of the joy of shopping and planning is lost because it is such a long time away.

My big kids have been asking for weeks about the tree, the letters to Santa, how long until holidays. On Saturday I knew the jig was up and it was time to embrace the season properly. This will be our first Christmas in this house and we had loads of fun getting out the decorations and lights.

My bigs put the tree together and decorated it all by themselves for the first time this year. I have such fond memories of doing this with my sisters when we were young. They did a great job too!

Santa is going to have his work cut out squeezing down THIS chimney!

We bought some wall stickers from Aldi and popped them up around the place, but my favourite favourite Christmas thing is always the lights. The one downside to living where we do now is that it is a long drive to go and see some decorated houses... I think a sleepover at my parents may be in order so we don't miss out on the spectacular display not far from their place.

Love having a bay window in the kitchen!

The past couple of years my Big Girl and I have formed a little tradition of baking gingerbread each weekend and decorating it. We will be doing this for the kids' teachers and some of our neighbours. I LOVE the reindeer ones, they are time consuming but they look a bit cool I think. Upside down gingerbread men for anyone who wants to make them too!

We have a little orchard at our new place, and while we are only just working out what each tree grows (seems to be heaps of apples and some peaches!) this one wasn't hard to figure out at all. I am stoked!

We've netted the tree and I'm hoping to have some bowls of gorgeous home grown cherries on our Christmas table if they fully ripen in time.

Are you embracing the Christmas season? What traditions do you have for December?