Warm (actually kinda hot) holiday wishes

This Christmas has a lot of firsts for me and our family.  It is Evan's first Christmas, which makes it a very special Christmas indeed.  It's John and my first Christmas as parents, which is very exciting for us.  Of course this will get more exciting as Evan grows older and better understands what Christmas is all about.  It's also my first summery Christmas, since I'm spending it in Australia this year!  I'm learning all about Aussie Christmas traditions, such as Carols by Candlelight events, songs like Santa Koala, and just the image of Santa drinking a cold beer and wearing stubby shorts and thongs.   And for the big meal on Christmas day, having foods like Christmas cake and Christmas pudding (or more often referred to as "Christmas pud"), fresh seafood, and having "crackers" (not a food by the way).  I will have to report back after the holiday to share more on these items, as I'm a bit tentative on if I'll like the cake (it is a fruitcake after all, and for some reason fruitcake has gotten a bad rap back home!) and what exactly the crackers are all about!

Either way, there are Christmas lights hung on the house, a decorated Christmas tree with a steadily growing pile of wrapped presents under it, and stockings hung awaiting Santa's arrival.  Those features are common to Christmas back home.  We're planning to watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation this weekend as well, so my family's tradition will still be kept even while I'm on the other side of the world.  And it seems that most of my family are also having a warm/hot Christmas this year too, given that my dad is still deployed in Africa, my sister and her kids are now living in Hawaii, and my brother and his family now live in Florida.  My sister found one way to relive our family's holiday memories this year, even while we're apart: playing Mannheim Steamroller Christmas music (thanks to dad for sending her that CD!).  So today I found a way to hook my ipod up to the stereo, so I can play Mannheim Steamroller Christmas music too and so I'm really set. 

No matter what, Christmas time is a very special time for our family.  For John and I, it was on Christmas day last year that we first learned we were pregnant with Evan.  Waking up on Christmas morning was always so magical as a child; being so excited to go out and see what Santa had left you under the tree.  As an adult, the magic sometimes fades, but last year it was the most magical Christmas morning I've ever had in my life.  I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas gift than to wake up and see a positive result on the pregnancy test.  

Now, one year later, we have a beautiful baby boy to share the holiday with, and whether it's hot or cold, sunny or snowy, we couldn't be more thankful.  I hope that all of our friends and family have a magical Christmas this year.  Sending our warmest holiday wishes to you all!