'Santa Claus is coming to town'

I love Christmas. There is not one thing I do not like about the festive season. However, the last three years Christmas has been on steroids in my world. It is straight up out of control. Most people have to split themselves between just two sides of the family - not us. You see I technically have my Mum's side of the family, my Dad's side and now alos my Step-father's family too. Then there is Brad's family which has two helpings of family sides too. Yup, that's five sets of people.



Last year this is how our Christmas went:



6.30am    Wake up & Shower

6.45am    Start preparing breakfast for 8 people in my 3m x 2m kitchen-ette.

9.00am    Guests arrive

9.30am    Eating: round one. Freshly baked croissant, bacon, eggs, mushrooms, tomato's sausages, hashbrowns, pancakes, french toast fruit cups, orange juice..COFFEE

10.00am   Clean up time for me

10.15am   Present opening time: round one

10.45am   Guests leave for next destination

10.46am   Brad & I do an outfit change

11.00am   Brad & I leave for his parents house

11.15am   Collect Grandma & Nana & head to Brad's Father's Sister's house

12.00n      Arrive at Aunt's house. Eating: round 1.5 (nibbles)

12.30pm   Present time: round two

1.00pm     Eating: round two, main meal

1.45pm     Eating Interval & Coffee break

2.15pm     Eating: round three (dessert)

2.45pm     Female? Clean up kitchen. Male? Fall asleep on couch

3.15pm     Leave Aunt's house for Brad's parents house

4.00pm     Arrive at Brad's parents.

4.10pm     Present time: round three

4.30pm     Leave Brad's parents house to check in with folks at my Mum's house.

6.30pm     Eating: round four

7.30pm     Leave my parents for our house.

7.40pm    Arrive home.

7.41pm    Get in to PJ's

7.45pm    Watch DVD in bed

9.45pm     ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ



This is perhaps how this year will go:



8.00am     Wakeup, shower, get dressed.

8.30am     Go to Brad's parents house for round one of eating & presents.

11.00am   Leave for my Mum's place.

11.15am   Cook for nine people.

12.30pm   Presents round two. Eating: round 1.5 (nibbles & vino)

2.00pm     Eating: round three (mainmeal)

2.45pm     Female? Clean up kitchen. Male? Fall asleep on couch

3.15pm     Eating: round four (dessert)

4.00pm     Leave Mum's for Brad's paretns house to check in with them. Possible eating round five.

7.00pm     Home again, home again, jigity-jig.



I guess that's why they call it the silly season. We can't wait until we have a big house and babies so we have a decent excuse to say "Everyone come to our's this year?



Here are some of my inspirations for table decorating this year...