the 12 days of an Australian Christmas....

After six weeks of Christmas everywhere I look

it has just  plain disappeared,

to hide away until next year

but

I am not finished with Christmas

for me it lasts until the eve 

of the epiphany January 5th

our Christmas decorations

 stay up until the twelfth day of Christmas

a tradition that has always been in my family

and thinking about that reminded me 

of one of my favourite Christmas songs

The Twelve days of Christmas

so I borrowed an

Australian version from

jaybees entertainment

On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me A kookaburra in a gum tree On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Two cockatoos, and a kookaburra in a gum tree On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to meThree parakeets.........Two cockatoos, and a kookaburra in a gum tree On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to meFour great galahs,Three parakeets,Two cockatoos, and a kookaburra in a gum tree On the fifth  day of Christmas my true love sent to meFive opals black......(etc fill in the rest yourself  otherwise  my fingers will seize up!!!!) On the sixth  day of Christmas my true love sent to me Six 'roos a-jumping........ On the seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to meSeven emus running....... On the eighth day of Christmas my true love sent to meEight koalas clinging......... On the ninth day of Christmas my true love sent to meNine wombats waddling........ On the tenth day of Christmas my true love sent to me Ten dingoes dashing....... On the eleventh  day of Christmas my true love sent to me Eleven snakes a-sliding....... On the twelfth  day of Christmas my true love sent to me Twelve goannas going....... image via Rebecca Hamby with thanks you can see her here On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Twelve goanna goin,  Eleven snakes a-sliding, Ten dingoes dashing,  Nine wombats waddling, Eight koalas clinging,  Seven emus running, Six 'roos a-jumping,  Five opals black, Four great galahs,  Three parakeets, Two cockatoos,  And a kookaburra up a gum tree. and all the images are from Google images Goodnight

Tis the night before Christmas... almost!!!

I am a little early but I want UK daughter to see this before she leaves!!!

For Katie,  Lucas,  Lisa,

Because I am not with you tonight to read it

may it bring back memories of Christmas Eve's past


and for all those
wonderful people
 I have met over the past 12 months
 I share this Christmas tradition

Twas the night before Christmas,  when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.




The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.





The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

           all paintings here by: Miss Jessie Willcox Smith 

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
 But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all,
 and to all  a
good-night!"