Kangaroos and Cupcakes: Merry Christmas from the Southern Hemisphere!

Port Stephens, NSW Australia

It's Christmas Eve here in Sydney and besides being a very hot day, it's cooled down this evening and is now raining. I was just thinking about when I was living in Washington State and my siblings and I would wish and hope so badly for a white Christmas and now here we are living in a country that has Christmas in summertime. I've been living in the Southern Hemisphere for 3-Christmases now and I still can't get used to that.

This is also the 3rd Christmas that we've been away from family. I can't get used to that either. I can't wait for the year that all of our families get to be together during the holidays. I miss making Christmas cookies with my mom and sister, decorating gingerbread houses, the cooler weather and all the cheesy Christmas decorations, which are lacking here. Big time. I also tried to find the gingerbread house kits and they are MIA in Australia. So are red and green sprinkles for my cookies. OH YEA- and candy canes!!!!! WTH? I finally found some after searching 2-grocery stores and they were pink and white. Not going to cut it, Sydney.

I am very thankful that I have a husband here to celebrate with and that he tolerates my love for Christmas music, Christmas movies and my Barbie themed Christmas tree (thanks Mom for all the Hallmark Keepsake ornaments you have given me throughout the years!). I especially look forward to the upcoming years that we will be able to start our own Christmas traditions with our little guy, no matter where we are in the world. I hope he will someday look back at his childhood and have as good of memories as I do celebrating Christmas as a kid.

Today and tomorrow on Christmas Day we will be thinking about our friends and family and wishing that everyone has a special day filled with memories and love.