As I’ve mentioned before, Small Man is an elf.
He comes into his own in December, when it’s time to set up the Christmas tree. Often he’ll work on his own, but this year his brother decided to give him a hand. Our youngest son has very firm ideas about where each branch should go, so Big Boy opted to just open up the branches and hand them over, like a good assistant…
They set up the tree on Sunday morning, then Big Boy and I went down to the annual Haberfield Festa to get some lunch, while Small Man stayed back to add the lights…
Our local street festival is always busy and always hot, but I head down every year to get the delicious paella from the Sofrito stall…
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The following day, I met up with my gorgeous young friend Clare at Spice Alley. After gorging ourselves on Malaysian/Singaporean food…
…we came back to our house for more eating and a quick lesson in chocolate tempering…
Lovely Clare (bless her) then kept us company as we decorated the tree, while listening to the irrepressible Tim Curry performing A Christmas Carol on Audible (it’s too wonderful for words, and here’s a tip – if you want to get it, buy the Kindle book first, then the audio version – it’s much cheaper that way)…
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Many of our ornaments carry a great deal of history. It’s a joy to pull them out each year and hang them in honour of the friends and family they represent…
Clockwise from the top left are: Annie in NZ’s handstitched pig and the disco balls Jason sent me for my 50th birthday; just a few of my handmade Swarovski crystal decorations; a little raccon-dog bell that our best man brought back from Japan for me in 1985; and velvet polystyrene balls that the boys and I made in the late 1990s.
This sterling silver tree charm on a vintage Swarovski pendant is new this year. I had grand plans of wearing it as an earring, but it was much too heavy, so Clare and I ended up with a new ornament each…
Our finished tree is sitting in a new spot this year which seems to suit it well!
Hope you’re all enjoying the festive season as much as we are! ♥
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
it looks like they did a beautiful job –
You are a special person … thanks for sharing this … still need to get our tree up but hopefully this weekend it will happen! Merry Christmas to you and your lovely family xo
Merry Christmas Celia! Your Christmas tree looks about as crowded as ours is. Maybe, like me, you have to include all the decorations because they all have a history and a story connected to them. It’s a beautiful time of the year which I really love even though two of our six adult children, and three of our gorgeous grandchildren, will be in Copenhagen and Tokyo while we celebrate Christmas without them together with the rest of the motley lot, and various rellies and friends . Thank goodness for Skype!!
I always enjoy your info and pictures. Recently you showed Christmas fruit cake baked in boxes. Please share the details. How do you make them?
Are any boxes better than others? any to avoid? do you use parchment or foil to line? can any batter be baked in them? Love your recycling items.
Just like I want to import your stripe sock donation program to Southern California.
Thanks
Here you go, Cris (what a wonderfully festive name you have!)…
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2009/11/10/christmas-fruit-cake/
You can bake them in large 8″ tins like I did – they should take about 2 – 2.5 hours in a fan forced 300C oven. They were actually just regular metal cake tins lined with parchment and wrapped in newspaper to stop the tops burning during the long baking time. My friend Dan in San Francisco is baking them in little mini tins – she said they’re hard to buy there! :)
It’s a beautiful tree. I’m missing out on Christmas this year – the packers come in on Thursday so we’ll be here in an empty apartment for a couple of weeks!! How lovely you had Clare to visit xx
I love how you share your life with us. What good young men you have raised. You should feel very proud – what a lovely family you’ve nurtured. x
The tree is a little bit of magic and a whole lot of love – just the way Christmas should be. Xx
It all looks lovely x
Lovely! Ano I love tree decorations that have a history, much nicer than brand new, colour matched trees with no soul 😀
Love your tree and love that it has a history – we have lots of sentimental ornaments from our travels and it is lovely to talk about them with sylvia who didn’t come on most of the travels with us. And nice way to still enjoy the new charms with the christmas tree.
Merry Christmas Celia and best wishes to all the family. Well done guys what a fabulous tree
Lovely tree! How funny it is for this Mainer to think of how it warm it is for you and yours. We had snow yesterday, and the days are decidedly chilly. One of the great things about blogs is reading about life in different parts of the world. And, I must hear that Tim Curry recording!
Laurie, the Tim Curry recording is glorious – we listened to another chapter last night after dinner. If you do buy it, have a look and see if it’s cheaper if you buy the kindle book first – it was for me, but I’m an audible subscriber, not sure if it’s the same for non-subscribers.
Love the tree….great to have such good helpers. Ornaments with history are the best . I have my share from years past. Thank you so much for sending a piece of Priscilla. I am excited to begin and will do so between the holidays as I have 10 whole days off work. Do have a wonderful holiday with all your family and friends. I got married last week so am much looking forward to a great Christmas with my wonderful husband.
Lovely tree. It’s great how your boys get along so well together. Great teamwork. Your new ornament looks very sweet; I can imagine it would be a bit too heavy to wear as an earring. Enjoy your week!
I would love a lesson in chocolate tempering Celia. There is a baker in the UK (Shewhobakes) who has videoed lessons which she sells on her blog which are there to look at whenever you need. Just a suggestion….
Here you go, Kay! :)
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2013/08/26/chocolate-101-tempering-at-home/
Thanks Celia. I must try this. After all sourdough was scary to begin with, it’s a doddle now. Even got my 79 year old Dad baking it x
Beautiful! <3
Oh Celia I have just had the best time going through your Christmas gifts page…what an archive! Thank you. Each year I make something for my kid’s tree (35 and 31) and spent last night – to very late by the way I feel this morn – cutting out of Christmas card, tiny Christmas tree shapes. Today I will stitch them together to make a garland. I am doing pom pom garlands too. Took me 15 mins to choose colours! In previous years I have made a different heart each year as it is a time when hearts miss those we love. Thank you for more delicious ideas. Money is not the answer to Christmas giving in my house so I have lots of new ideas from your list!. Christmas blessings your way. Marilyn xo
Your tree looks beautiful. Well done that elf! It’s wonderful to have meaningful decorations rather than ordinary baubles. Enjoy your wonderful tree, alongside your wonderful friends and family 😃
Thank you for sharing your Christmas and your blog the socks are a great hit at Mustardseed Op shop. My boy is in Baton Rouge Louisiana this Christmas, he’s 23, enjoyed seeing yours, aren’t we blessed!
Shelley Brunson manager of Op Shop
Hey Shelley, thanks for stopping by! See you in the new year with more socks! And yes, we’re very blessed, aren’t we.. :)
I love this post and all your photos…really gets me in the mood for the Holiday.
Your tree looks beautiful. Tis obviously a good thing to have an elf in the house! :)
What lovely traditions. We all go pick a tree together but it’s me who decorates for now. The boys are allowed to put up their handmade ornaments since they aren’t fragile. Like you most of our ornaments have a special meaning, I still have all mine St. Nick gave me as a child and now he gives the boys one each year too.