Project 289 - Day 282 : On The 11th day of Andrew's Christmas, I Decorated the Tree With....

So the Big Day is almost here, and Santa and his elves and Mary and Joseph and the Easter Bunny are all hard at work with Elvis in Santa's Workshop getting ready to deliver all the presents! 

Meanwhile I am rushing to finish wrapping presents, pack, check mail, grab some super glue (those ornaments will keep breaking!).... and take some final shots of the tree. Here today are the lynchpin pieces that hold it all together, along with the lights and the red tinsel - the red glitter sequin star at the top of the tree, the red bauble with silver glitter stripe and swirls, and the silver glitter sequin baubles. I know - all ruggedly masculine and not slightly camp at all! I love the colours, the effects and the way they give a perfect backdrop for the bright colours of the ornaments to shine and make the tree in it's entirety, which you'll see tomorrow, glisten, glow and look as Christmassy as I want it to.

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Today turned out to be an insanely busy day.... at least up till lunchtime anyway. I know that shouldn't be a surprise at Christmas, but I still occasionally cling to the crazy optimism that things won't be as full-on as they might suggest they will be.

I got up at 4.45 to go walking at 5 a.m. with my walking buddy, Fahmi, and after a brisk pounding of the pavement - with my feet, not my head in frustration at all the things I had to do - came home, started packing, put out a load of clothes, wrapped the last of my presents, arranged them temporarily under the tree to take photos for posterity before they were shoved into a suitcase or backpack, drove to my beautiful guy's to check the mail, came back and changed the water in the fish tank, ate a bagel while ironing my shorts and T-shirt and talking to my darling man, before ordering a taxi at 9.15 for 9.30, throwing on my clothes, doing last minute packing and racing, in humid hot weather to the front of my building complex to get the taxi..... PHEW!!

Thankfully getting through check-in and security, despite the madding crowds, was a breeze, and after picking up the mags I wanted at 3 separate outlets (I have a tradition of buying The Economist at Christmas, which I found at the final place!), relaxed at Gate 40 till the flight was called. I sat next to this lovely couple from the UK who were going to be spending Christmas in Byron Bay before getting married in Hayman Island, got picked up by my brother, Steve, before heading home to lunch and a nap....chill.....

The rest of the day was spending time with my family including my Nanna who came up for a curry dinner, watching Christmas Eve TV (including a few songs from Carols by Candlelight, which is a tradition to watch, but not for too long!), wrapping gifts with my sister Rachel (including the two big pressies my brother was giving his girlfriend!), and a lovely long chat with my lovely guy. It was wondeful that the day slowed down to almost nothing because I don't think I could havce sustained the morning's pace.....

Then off to bed to wait for Santa....or sleep.....hmm, at my age, Christmas junkie though I am, the latter was the more likely choice....